Our men and women in uniform have made sacrifices that most of us couldn’t even imagine. From leaving their loved ones to taking a bullet to maybe even giving their lives, they have chosen a career of selflessness and sacrifice.
Sadly, their sacrifice often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged. That’s why we love hearing stories like this one!
Christopher Garrett was a combat engineer with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division. While deployed in Afghanistan, his crew came under fire and Christopher was shot in the stomach. He pelvis was shattered. He was hospitalized and then medically retired.
Christopher was happy to be returning home to his wife, Brittany, and was looking forward to getting back to normal life. Soon, though, it became clear that “normal” was going to have a new meaning.
His physical and emotional scars made things difficult. In fact, Christopher’s disability rating was set at 100%. Things that had once come easily to him – like mowing the lawn – now seemed almost impossible.
Even still, Christopher was determined not to let his injuries get the best of him. Even though he only had an old-fashioned, non-motorized push mower, he continued to go out and mow the yard, working through the pain until the job was done.
It was difficult for Brittany to watch her husband go through this pain. When she saw Christopher collapsed on the ground in tears one day, she ran to him, thinking he was suffering an emotional breakdown.
When she got out to the yard, though, she saw the source of Christopher’s tears. Sitting in the yard was a brand new John Deere riding lawn mower. Attached was a note:
“I hope this saves time for the things that matter most in your life. Thank you for your service and for my freedom. Sincerely, A grateful American.”
Though the Garretts have no idea who left the mower in their yard, it is clear a neighbor had seen Christopher struggling and wanted to help. That person may never know just how much the gift meant to the Garretts, but for this couple it was life-changing.
Christopher still has a long road ahead of him in the recovery process, but thanks to this generous stranger, the journey is now a little easier.
We all have a little good inside us. So share it!
