Navy veteran Samantha Silke says her life has not yet come full circle in the five years she has spent recovering from a devastating accident that ended her military career and left her nearly dead.
But don't tell that to her fellow athletes at the 2016 DoD Warrior Games, from whom she inspires and draws inspiration. And don't tell that to the neglected and abused children she advocates for in her civilian job in the courts. For them, the life Silke nearly lost has come full circle into a life of giving back and helping others whose lives are also hurt and broken.
"A 180 is a complete turnaround and I've gone about 160 degrees," Silke said. "There are days when I feel like I am falling into a dark hole, but being here with these people is a bright spot."
Silke is competing in air rifle shooting and wheelchair basketball for Team Navy in the DoD Warrior Games at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. She entered the games through the Navy's Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor program, which sponsors the athletes.
Silke joined the Navy right after high school and served just under nine years as a master-at-arms. The Linden, Va., native was serving at Navy Security Force in Bahrain in the Persian Gulf in 2011 when her accident happened. She was riding on a motorcycle when a car ran her off the road. The motorcycle crashed, killing another sailor on the bike and severely injuring Silke. She said investigators believed the car intentionally ran her off the road.
Silke suffered multiple traumatic injuries and was left in a coma with bleeding in her brain. Two vertebrate in her neck and one in her back were fractured. The bones in the left side of her face were shattered. She had two broken bones in a left arm, a broken leg, collapsed lungs, torn rotator cuff and severe damage to her right leg and knee. Silke was covered in dirt, blood and bruises.
"My next memory is waking up in the hospital bed in a lot of pain and a lot of people from my section being there," she said. "I looked like I had just dug out of the ground."
Silke underwent 20 surgeries to repair her multiple injuries. She has amnesia and received speech therapy. Her recovery was going fine, but an infection in her leg caused doctors to consider amputating her leg. They were able to save her leg, but had to remove tissue and apply skin grafts.
"They said if I was able to keep my legs, I would never be able to walk again," she said. "But there was no way I was going to let that happen."
Silke was eventually able to walk again, but she will she never be able to run again. She has always been athletic, playing sports since she was 5 years old. She played basketball, volleyball, soccer and ran track. The Navy Wounded Warrior Safe Harbor program helped Silke get back into athletic competition, though she had to learn how to play basketball in a wheelchair. She took up air rifle shooting and qualified for the DoD Warrior Games.
"After my accident, I didn't think I would be able to do anything again," she said. "But the DoD Warrior Games has given me new meaning."
Silke gives credit to her family and church for their support. Her sister, Heather Silke, moved in with her to care for her until she was able to take care of herself again. Her church family held prayer vigils. She said her 8-year-old son Ethan is her biggest inspiration, and her biggest cheerleader.
"He is so energetic and supportive of Team Navy," Silke said. "He was screaming 'Go mom' so much during basketball the referees started calling me mom."
Ethan cheers, waves the Navy flag and pushes other athletes in wheelchairs up and down the court so they can cheer. He also encourages his mother to continue competing in the games.
Silke was medically discharged from the Navy in 2014. She has earned a criminal justice degree and currently works as a court-appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children in Prince William County, Va. She writes reports for judges and works cases, working with foster parents, social workers and court advocates.
"When I went through the juvenile justice class while pursuing my degree, I knew I wanted to work with troubled youth," Silke said.
Silke said the DoD Warrior Games are a big part of her outlook on life and her motivation to help others and cherish every moment with family and friends. Through her own road to recovery, Silke is helping others who have lost so much learn to adapt and find new meaning in life, whether in the Warrior Games, at home with her son or in the courts.
| Date Taken: | 06.20.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2016 10:11 |
| Story ID: | 201900 |
| Location: | WEST POINT, NY, US |
| Hometown: | FRONT ROYAL, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 241 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy Wounded Warrior survives to bring life ful circle to help abused children, by SSG Jon Soles, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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