After a deployment in Iraq and an assignment in Louisiana to assist with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Donald Stanley rode his motorcycle out west for a personal trip. On his way back to Indiana, he was hit by a tractor-trailer tire that had come off the trailer.
“It happened on September 25 of 2021,” Stanley said. “It was about 7:04 p.m. when I called 911.”
What became a life-changing incident is forever seared in his memory.
“I’ll never forget the day or the time the rest of my life,” Stanley said.
The accident left Stanley with a severe injury to his right leg. For a while, he lived with the injury, attempting to heal it through multiple surgeries before finally making the decision to amputate the leg just below the knee.
“It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made,” Stanley said.
Losing half of his right leg left him with a life forever changed. Confined to a wheelchair and unable to walk freely anymore, Stanley felt hopeless, so much so that he went through a terrible depression and considered taking his life.
In time, Stanley discovered Operation Charlie Bravo (OCB), a local Crown Point organization dedicated to helping veterans with homelessness and mental illness, including suicidal ideation, depression, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“I knew that if I didn’t do something, I was going to end up committing suicide,” Stanley said.
According to its website, the mission of OCB is to foster dignity and reintroduce self-worth to veterans and military personnel who have been physically, mentally, and emotionally damaged by the realities of military service.
Finding OCB, which offers hands-on therapy as part of a coping strategy, saved Stanley’s life. OCB has car lifts, motorcycle lifts, and all kinds of tools that allow veterans and military personnel to build and work on vehicles.
“It’s hands-on therapy because if you’re busy doing something, then you’re not doing the negative stuff,” Stanley explained.
The opportunity to join OCB is open to anyone who was formerly in the armed services with a good record.
“We don't limit it to anyone; as long as they are a veteran and in good standing, they're welcome at our shop,” Stanley said. “Once we get to know you after about a month or so from coming in every week, you get access 24 hours a day to the shop.”
Through one of its programs called Get Lost, OCB hosts an annual fundraising motorcycle ride in the first week of June. As part of this program, Stanley has traveled to Michigan and Arkansas. Last year, several of the veterans involved with this particular program traveled independently to Tennessee and North Carolina to help with hurricane relief. This year, the Get Lost group plans to travel to New York.
The other six programs are Lima Charlie, On Your Feet, Blaster, Hot Rod Therapy, Fitness and Tranquility, and Jam. These diverse programs offer versatile hands-on therapy opportunities catering to different needs and interests.
Nothing stops Stanley from experiencing life to its fullest despite his new normal. Through Stanley’s resilience, he’s inspiring other veterans in OCB and elsewhere to appreciate life, live with purpose, and embrace their struggles to more fully appreciate each day’s beauty.