Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kristen Duus | U.S. Army veteran Staff Sgt. Timothy Payne, swims during the 100 meter swim during the...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas — Staff Sgt. Timothy Payne, Army veteran and former infantryman, was on the last foot-patrol of his unit when a 25 to 35-pound improvised explosive device detonated under him, July 3, 2011, in the Zhary District, Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Payne lost both legs in the explosion. He spent more than a year and a half at Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital in Washington. Eventually, he turned to faith and swimming to aid in his recovery.
Payne, a squad leader at the time, said they would find on average four IEDs on each patrol, making their missions that much more intense.
He didn't rely much on faith before he stepped on the IED, though he did have a vision the night before he stepped on the IED.
“It was really surreal because before it happened, the night prior, I shot a bad guy and I ended up killing him,” said Payne. “That’s when the holy spirit of Jesus came to me and said, ‘If you live by the sword, you die by the sword.’”
Payne knew he didn't want to die, so he said he asked Jesus to blow off his legs instead of kill him.
Payne was only four months into his deployment with 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, “The Chosen.”
"I started swimming probably about a year after I got hurt,” said Payne. “It’s been extremely monumental to my recovery. As soon as I got out here, they asked what else I wanted to do, so I decided to try the discus. I’ve been throwing pretty well, so I’m doing swimming and the discus.”
The Army Trials at Fort Bliss showcase the resilient spirit of wounded, ill and injured Soldiers and Veterans, and participants include athletes with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, visual impairments, serious illnesses and amputations. The Army Trials also help determine which athletes will represent Team Army at the Department of Defense sponsored games this summer in Quantico, Virginia.
“In April, I’m going to Boston to do the Boston Marathon,” said Payne. “Then in May I’m going to the Virgin Islands, and swimming from beach to beach to beach and June is the actual warrior games.”
Payne also uses his faith to help other Soldiers learn from his experiences.
“I've gone through so much to get to the mentality that I have now,” said Payne. “It's all been given to me by the man upstairs because he wants me to do good; he wants everybody to do good. I'm just paying it forward.”
| Date Taken: | 04.14.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 04.14.2015 16:12 |
| Story ID: | 159970 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 369 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, War, faith and Payne, by SFC Kulani Lakanaria, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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