Spring Valley resident is a two-time Paralympian after losing arm
It’s an extraordinary accomplishment in it’s own right. What is more extraordinary however, is how sergeant Mike Spivey got to this point.
CBS8 | by Jake Garegnani | May 2022 | Link to Article
SAN DIEGO – Spring Valley resident Mike Spivey is a two-time Paralympian snowboarder. It’s an extraordinary accomplishment in it’s own right. What is more extraordinary however, is how sergeant Mike Spivey got to this point.Spivey joined the United States Marine Corps as a combat engineer in 2005. Five years later, on his second deployment, Mike was searching for IEDs in Afghanistan. “The sun was going down and I just made a mistake that I usually didn’t make, and that was to cross one of their homemade bridges made out of just a single log across the canal,” said Spivey.It was December of 2010 and Mike Spivey’s life was about to change forever. “…as soon as I stepped off the other side, everything went black. I remember kind of hitting the ground. Looking down, my arm was covered in blood, I could see bone sticking out. I immediately reached up I grabbed my tourniquet started trying to get it tight.”The blast resulted in the serious injuries to his legs, lower back, and his left arm, which eventually was amputated. Mike eventually transferred back to San Diego where he began his long rehab process. During his recovery Mike was introduced to the Semper Fi & America’s Fund. “They do anything from helping out the families whenever you first get injured to helping you get back integrated into sports, so that you can try to figure out how to live with your disabilities.”Click here to continue reading article.