Local hero’s new ride returns lost freedom
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RONAN — Marine Lance Cpl. Tomy Parker’s platoon was returning from combat patrol in Afghanistan when Parker lived every soldier’s worst nightmare.
An improvised explosive device placed by insurgents exploded beneath him in Dec. 2010. His left leg was amputated at the hip and his right leg was amputated just above the knee. He also lost four fingers on his left hand.
Now, more than two years later, Parker is finally getting back a piece of the freedom he lost with his legs.
Battle for Veterans is an organization dedicated to assisting U.S. military veterans around the country. One such effort, the “Honor Tour,” is a co-sponsored endeavor between the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of California and several California high schools to “provide an educational forum within the localized high school community for students to become aware of the sacrifices and heroism of local veterans and to participate in the support of veterans programs and causes,” a press release said.
Parker was deployed in Afghanistan with Battle for Veterans executive director Mark Soto’s son, and was a speaker and guest for the Honor Tour’s pilot program this winter.
“I always enjoy being a part of those events,” Parker said. “They do a lot of cool stuff in raising awareness of wounded veterans.”
Soto had heard through the grapevine that Parker was interested in purchasing an Action Trackchair — a wheelchair with tracks instead of wheels, allowing disabled individuals to traverse rough terrain.
Battle for Veterans purchased Parker one of the chairs (valued at roughly $10,000) and presented it to him this past weekend near his parents’ bowling alley in Ronan.
“I’m very excited,” Parker said. “I grew up hunting, so the opportunity to get out there and get on some trails and hopefully bag a deer this fall is pretty exciting.”
Stepfather Tim Corbett said the whole experience (Parker’s being given the chair) was “unbelievable.”
“To be able to get out and do those things like hunting and hiking with his cousins and uncles like when he was a kid ... it’s amazing,” Corbett said.
Parker’s mom, Lisa Jennison-Corbett, said Parker never stopped loving the outdoors. He still enjoys hunting, shooting and being outside, but losing his legs affected him greatly in that regard.
“This opens up a whole new door for him,” she said tearfully. “Another part of his life that he hasn’t been able to experience the last two years. Being able to play out in the yard with his girls and hunting — which he hasn’t been able to do — this opens up a whole new realm.
“I cried when I watched him wheel away (in the new Trackchair.) Like I said, it’s a whole new life for him now.”
Parker said he’d been saving for one of the chairs for some time, but that they don’t come cheap. Because Battle for Veterans purchased the chair for him, that money can now go toward other endeavors — like college.
Parker hopes to attend college this coming fall in pursuit of a degree in linguistics followed by a doctorate in law. He hopes to fold these degrees into a successful political career, adding that his wounds are on the mend. He will soon begin physical therapy at St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan and hopefully be outfitted with new, better-fitting prosthetics.
“Life is good,” he said. “I’m staying busy, trying to stay out of trouble and doing a pretty good job of it, so all in all it’s been pretty good.”
Despite the loss of his legs and having to learn to do everything over again, Parker remains positive and upbeat.
“When I first got injured, I sort of coined a phrase,” he said. “Life is a poker game. Some people get dealt good cards; some people get bad cards. But, it doesn’t really matter what cards you’re dealt, you still have to play the game.
“I didn’t get dealt the best cards, but I’m going to play them the best I can. If I get down and depressed and cry, it won’t help my situation. But, if I stay upbeat and positive, it will make me feel better which, in turn, makes the situation better.”
