Story highlights
Mike Rowe meets Mills at conference in Washington
Mills' motto is "Never give up - never quit"
Rowe posts on Facebook about Mills to mark Memorial Day
Travis Mills has no arms or legs. He is an American hero who served three tours in Afghanistan and lost all his limbs when a bomb exploded under him.
“How I survived, I have no idea,” he said. “I was yelling at the medic, ‘Get away from me,’ because I thought I was done.”
The retired United States Army staff sergeant spent months recuperating at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but don’t dare call him a wounded warrior.
“I’m not wounded any more,” he said. “I’m just a guy living life.”
Recalling comrades killed in combat, he asks: “How selfish would it be if I gave up?”
He snowboards, bikes and recently jumped out of an airplane with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team.
And now, he has a new admirer in Mike Rowe, the star of “Dirty Jobs” and the upcoming CNN series “Somebody’s Gotta Do It.” He met Mills a few weeks ago at a conference in Washington and wrote a Facebook post about their exchange to honor him this Memorial Day. As of Monday night, the post had more than 90,000 shares on Facebook.
“He has a motto: Never give up - never quit. He has a Foundation. He’s featured in a new documentary. He also has a wife and a kid, and a deeply personal commitment to help other wounded vets cope with their injuries.” Rowe wrote. “But when I asked why I hadn’t seen him in any of the typical commercials and PSA’s for wounded veterans, his answer was stunning. He said he didn’t consider himself to be wounded. ‘I’m not a victim, Mike. And I refuse to be portrayed that way. Case closed.’”
Rowe ended his candid post by reflecting on the holiday meant to honor America’s military fallen.
“That’s called a gut-check, and I could use one from time to time. Especially on Memorial Day, when the biggest decisions I face are what to grill and which type of frosty beverage to enjoy. This year, as I resolve these and other important issues, I’ll think of Travis Mills.”
The toll of war now includes more amputees
CNN’s Barbara Starr contributed to this report.