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Through Airmen's Eyes: A Wounded Warrior’s road to recovery

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joshua R. M. Dewberry
  • 11th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. --  The cool breeze and darkening night slowly embraced the German landscape. Everything seemed to be perfect and in place; however, events quickly turn tense with the sound of metal grinding asphalt and a motorcycle slamming the road.

That sound led to Airman 1st Class Clint Williams participating in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Adaptive Sports Camp last month at Joint Base Andrews, Md. The camp was designed to help injured, ill and wounded Airmen in their recovery process.

Williams joined the Air Force right after high school in Port O'Conner, Texas, to become part of security forces. After 11 months of service, he incurred potentially fatal injuries after a motorcycle accident July 20, 2012, at Vogelweh Military Complex in Germany.

He was driving his 96' Virago motorcycle when it locked up, and propelled him into a tree. He had full protective gear, but it was no match for the marriage of speed, force and a sudden stop.

"I flipped forward smashing head-first into a tree, causing my helmet to shatter and my body sustaining multiple injuries," Williams said. "I had road rash on my lower back, injured my neck and left arm, broke or fractured every bone in my face and cracked the left side of my skull. I couldn't chew food for three months."

Williams was transported by ambulance to the hospital where doctors removed part of his skull because of cranial swelling. Afterward, he was relocated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, where he lay in a coma for 10 days; seven of those days on life support.

While in his coma, Williams' family visited him and played his favorite song, "Seize the Day," by Avenged Sevenfold. Hearing his favorite band triggered something in the Airman. Once the music started playing, his fingers, toes and lips twitched. So began his road to recovery.

"They say you can still hear everything in a coma, so maybe I was hearing it and something just clicked," Williams said. "Everyone was saying that's what did it, so I'm not gonna take that away. Whatever it was, I'm gonna run with it."

Happy to finally be awake, Williams' excitement was short-lived as he began to understand the new set of physical challenges that accompanied his journey back to normalcy.

"When I woke up, I couldn't see out of my left eye for two weeks and was in the worst physical condition I've ever been in," Williams said.

Williams was then flown to Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, spending a month recovering before being released. He was required to almost constantly wear a protective helmet while waiting for a plate to be surgically installed in his head.

"I had so much work to do getting back to the health and shape I was in before my accident, and still do, but the Warrior Games gave me good motivation to keep improving," Williams said. "Out of all the physical therapy and support I received, the Wounded Warrior Program and Adaptive Sports Camp helped me the most by pushing me to get stronger every day."

The two-day camp included competitive opportunities in wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, swimming, air rifle/pistol shooting, and track and field for Williams to take part in.

Williams has forged strong friendships through the Wounded Warrior Program, but has gained the strongest bond with his 13-month-old son, Jesse Aaron, through his recovery process. He now deems family to be more important than ever before, knowing that those moments shared are precious.

On his journey back to a normal lifestyle, Williams has not swayed from his motorcycle passion. He now owns a 2013 Harley-Davidson and even still has the pants, boots and jacket from the day of the accident.

"That was my first vehicular accident ever, so that definitely was a new experience for me," Williams said. "But I'm eager to get back on a bike. If it was a car wreck, I wouldn't quit driving a car, so why would I quit driving a motorcycle?"

By spending the last 11 months in recovery and training in the Wounded Warrior Program, Williams has been slowly pushing himself to get back into a healthy and fit condition, ready to join security forces once again.

While waiting for his medical clearance to be finalized, Williams volunteers at the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. He helps out with anything the hospital needs and tends to his own needs as well.

Williams says he has physical scars from his accident, but one mark that will never truly leave him is the experience of almost losing his life.

"My gear protected me from suffering worse injuries or death," he said. "I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't covered from head to toe. If you buy safety gear, wear it for protection, not style."

In his spare time, Williams spends most of his time with his family, playing guitar and exercising to get back into fighting shape.

"This whole recovery process has definitely made me a stronger person," Williams said. "I thought the Wounded Warrior Program was for service members who were injured in combat, but it's not. It's for anyone who gets injured anywhere, and it's meant to aid all roads to recovery." (Courtesy of Air Force News Service)

(This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)