Soldier. Combat Engineer. Husband. Graduate.
With a strong desire to serve our country at a young age, Staff Sergeant Samuel Shockley joined the Army just after graduating high school and deployed three times — twice to Iraqi in 2007 and 2009 and once to Afghanistan in 2012, where he was critically injured by an improvised explosive device. Samuel suffered a broken wrist and the amputation of multiple fingers, part of his arm, and both of his legs above the knee. During his initial hospitalization, Semper Fi & America’s Fund provided funding for a new mattress to ease Samuel’s excruciating pain and family grants to cover his mother’s travel expenses and loss of income, therefore allowing her to remain at her son’s bedside throughout his many surgeries and months of recovery.
“Semper Fi & America’s Fund is a fantastic organization that has been there through some of the most challenging times I’ve ever faced,” he said.
To help Samuel regain his independence, The Fund offset the cost of replacing his flooring and widening his doorframes to accommodate his wheelchair, ensuring that he could safely move about his home. The Fund then provided Samuel and his wife, Emely, with a trip to Landstuhl, Germany, where they met the doctors and nurses who first provided Samuel with life-saving medical care before his return to the States — a life-changing opportunity that allowed Samuel “to thank the fantastic staff that ensured I survived the trip back home,” he said as his journey from injury to recovery came full circle.
Samuel is now an avid athlete who is currently pursuing his MBA, and The Fund is honored to be on this awe-inspiring journey with him, ensuring he has everything needed to accomplish these incredible goals.
“I owe a lot of my current progression and achievements because of The Fund, including the fantastic staff members who always make you feel like family.”