LYDENBURG – In life a person gets to meet someone new every day – sometimes you just pass a person with no intention of remembering his name or face. And then there is that heart-warming story you can’t forget.
Founder and co-owner of Sporting Africa’s Safari’s Hunting Outfitters, Mr Vian Roux, recently took American war veterans on a hunting trip to Lydenburg. It was here where Roux met the CEO of A HERO (Heroes Enjoying Recreational Outdoors) Foundation, Capt Lee Stuckey. He is a US marine who has served three combat tours in Iraq and is currently in command of transportation support company at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
In 2007 Stuckey suffered a brain injury from an improvised explosive device. This, coupled with the emotional trauma of several combat deployments, caused him to become suicidal.
He was tired of dealing with the night-mares and stress, which led him to put a gun to his head. As he was about to pull the trigger, his cellphone rang displaying the word, “Mom”. He immediately realised he needed help. He thought that if he was struggling with psychological issues, then thousands of veterans must silently be suffering the same way. Stuckey began to visit hospitals and other military institutions across the country and connected with the servicemen and -women he met.
He was deeply affected by the severity of the physical and emotional injuries many had endured. According to statistics, more or less 22 veterans a day were committing suicide placing the annual average at a horrific 8 030. America’s A HERO Foundation connects veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars with other vets and patriotic members of local communities. It brings these parties together by organising outdoor and social activities. The primary purpose is to boost the morale, encourage constructive communication and engagement, and develop an informal support network of war veterans across the country in an effort to heal their physical and psychological wounds.
The foundation has supported over
270 wounded veterans in just three years.
Part of the hunting group was 25-year-old, Sgt Eamon Turnbull. In July 2010 he deployed with 2/9 to Marjah, Afghanistan. Three months later he was injured by an improvised explosive device while he had been on a security patrol. His lower right leg had to be amputated. On this trip he managed to shoot a kudu with only one horn. He said it was symbolic of his leg.
UFC welterweight fighter, Stephen Wonderboy Thompson, was also with the group – he is an American mixed martial artist and former kick-boxer who was currently fighting as a welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is undefeated through 37 amateur and 20 professional kick-boxing matches, with 28 wins by knockout.
Sporting Africa Safari engages in the age-old sport of fair-chase hunting and accepts the challenge for “the perfect shot.”
It will keep on supporting foundations like these.
