US Army SGT. 1st Class Retired Matthew Nyman

In 2005, while on a combat operation in Iraq, I was landing on a building via a small helicopter. I was sitting on the outside of the helicopter when it crashed. The top blade cut my right foot a few times leaving me with a below-knee amputation. It also cut my left foot, severely crushing the foot. I was then thrown against a wall, stopping my body.

The end result of it all was a severely crushed foo, which I was told I would never walk on again, and a compound femur fracture which damaged my peripheral nerves in the leg I still had. My lungs were collapsed, I had sustained some back damage, my chest hurt like hell, and I suffered a traumatic head injury. The injuries to my foot left me unable to move it from all of the nerve damage.

All that said, afterwards I still wanted to go back to my team, which was part of special operations. After a while however, I decided that due my TBI and injured foot, it was best not to. I then retired, but as you can imagine and relate, I still have the need for adrenaline and especially for personal challenges.

During a time with so much loss and uncertainty, we truly do not have the words to heal the sadness in the hearts of Kris and the boys. If you want to read more about Matt or feel that you might like to support his widow and children, please check out the Matt Nyman Memorial Fund.

And in the end, Matt found his full‑circle moment. He chose to return to the mountain one more time, to the place where his journey began, and ultimately, where his story came to a close. It was his way of honoring the path, the pain, and the purpose that shaped his life.

US ARMY 1st Class retired Matthew Nyman ….You will be missed dearly...