For some Marines, the sacrifices they’ve made for our country have left them without legs. Thankfully, “no man left behind” carries over to the real world, and these Marines truly have each other’s backs. This is how one hiker thought he saw a Marine with a backpack, but when he got closer, he realized it was a Marine amputee on his back.
The heart these Marines have is astonishing, scroll down!
Another hiker thought the Marine had a big backpack when he got closer, he couldn’t believe his eyes!
To get the full picture, we have to go back to 2010. John Nelson and Jonathon Blank were Marines stationed in Afganistan together. They backed each other on missions until one day the unthinkable happened.
While on a mission with their Battalion, an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) went off directly striking Jonathan. They didn’t know if he would make it as they rushed to get him into surgery.
It would take 3 years of recovery and over 60 surgeries, But Jonathan miraculously survived. He lost both of his legs, but that wouldn’t keep Jonathan down.
After coming back to the states, Jonathan and John have a bond that can’t be broken. Ever since they moved to Utah, Jonathan had been dreaming of climbing Mount Timpanogos. The only problem, that’s really hard to do without legs.
One day, John asked a question that Jonathan simply couldn’t say no to. He asked his friend: Do you want to hike Mount Timpanogos?
They were all set to hike Mount Timpanogos. That meant John had to carry his 135 lbs friend, 14 miles, up a steep trail. They had no idea they’d be going viral.
John Nelson and Jonathan Blank started their journey up Mount Timpanogos with Jonathan firmly hanging onto John’s back. As they made their way up the mountain, some hikers saw them in the distance.
At first, they thought that John just had an extra-large backpack. As they got a little bit closer, they realized what they were looking at and couldn’t believe their eyes! They immediately started snapping photos that quickly went viral.
Jonathan doesn’t let the loss of his legs hold him back. He skis, sails, hunts, and now he can add hiking to the list!
Jonathan has vowed to live life without legs to the fullest, skiing, hunting, and sailing are just a few of the activities he partakes in. Now with the help of his best friend, he can hike too! On Veterans Day, the pair plans to hike Mount Whitney, the biggest mountain in California.
“We shed a lot of blood, sweat, and tears to get to where we were, and it was all worth it.” Jonathan Blank told CBS.
This remarkable story shows us just how resilient Marines are. Both of these soldiers are amazing beacons of inspiration, teaching us, nothing is impossible. Watch the video below!
Marine carries fellow soldier who lost his legs up a mountain – other hikers thought he had a large backpack – got closer and couldn’t believe their eyes.
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