TMWS: Veterans Lance Weir & Chris Lawrence & The Make A Difference Minute Replay

On this edition of TMWS, I am featuring Lance Weir & Chris Lawrence with Challenged Athletes Foundation’s Operation Rebound: CAF!

Marine Corps Reservist, Lance Weir, was dislodging a canoe in a river, when afterwards, he leaned headfirst into the water to retrieve his baseball cap. His head hit a submerged rock, shattering his C5 vertebrae and he became a quadriplegic.

“I was angry, bitter and felt dead, even though I was somehow living,” Lance admits, as he struggled to find a purpose to his life. 17 years after his injury, Nico Marcolongo from CAF’s Operation Rebound program encouraged Lance to enrich his life through sport.

Lance discovered that he was not only good at shooting an air rifle, he was one of the best in his category and was identified as a Paralympic hopeful. Over the years, he has earned 8 gold medals at both the Marine Corps Trials and the Warrior Games. His sights are now set on helping other marines achieve similar successes in air rifle and in life.

Lance also cycles with a captain on an adaptive tandem hand cycle. He has completed CAF’s Million Dollar Challenge, a 620-mile ride from San Francisco to San Diego, and other endurance rides including the grueling Silver State 508. Lance also achieved the title of first tandem hand cycle to cross the finish line at an IRONMAN® race.

Wisconsin native Chris Lawrence is an Iraq Combat veteran who served with the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, 5th Marine Regiment. In 2007 he deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion. In August 2007, Chris lost his right leg below the knee to an IED while on a patrol.

Chris did his rehabilitation at Naval Medical Center San Diego. Chris was introduced to CAF Operation Rebound while recovering from his injuries. In October of 2008, CAF presented Chris with a bike. Since receiving his bike, Chris participated in a number of cycling and triathlon events.

Be sure to subscribe to TMWS via Apple iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify, Stitcher, Audioboom, & Blubrry. All shows are archived at TheMarkWhiteShow.com!