A Hero's Welcome: A Program for Wounded Warriors
Looking back, I realize that two poignant moments served as ‘seeds’ that would blossom into a program for Wounded Warriors called “A Hero’s Welcome.” Like bookends, the first coincided with my arrival in Baghdad, and the other with my departure.
No sooner had my feet hit the tarmac than I began to look up, a lot. I looked up in amazement at the way the spectacular sun and clear blue sky greeted me every morning while a blanket of stars ushered me back to my trailer at night. I looked up at the clouds of an impending sandstorm and after the echo of a siren’s wail lingered in the air. Most of all, I looked up when I felt the pounding thump and roar of helicopter rotors rattling the ground, my trailer, and my bones. It was constant. I quickly realized that not all helicopters were created equal. Many Blackhawks flew overhead without any markings on their underbelly. It was the ones that bore the bold ‘red cross’ that caught my eye. They were tasked with carrying injured troops to the military hospital around the corner.
Throughout the day, wherever I was, I looked up. I breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude when the helicopters bore no markings and offered a prayer, within the quietness of my heart, when they did. It was heartbreaking to realize how one moment had drastically altered the course of those men and women’s lives, forever. I made a commitment to visit Walter Reed Military Hospital when I got back home and extend my gratitude to the countless injured warriors who had flown overhead.
Unfortunately, while in Baghdad, I battled a life-threatening illness. I braced for the possibility that I would not return home alive. In the blink of an eye, my life completely changed course. In what would be my final departure, I flew over Baghdad in a Blackhawk and eventually returned to the U.S. I was devastated and depleted, but grateful to be alive.
I survived Baghdad’s bombs, bullets, and boardrooms yet bore the invisible scars left by the tentacles of war, solitude, and heartbreaking loss. “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Reverend Howard Thurman’s wisdom inspired me. After a period of recuperation, I reengaged in labors of love that served to promote healing, justice, and reconciliation.
Returning to photography was instrumental in recalibrating my path and reframing the narrative of my life. With renewed strength, I used my passion to raise awareness about issues of injustice and tragedy, capturing existing narratives and creating new ones in Kenya and Rwanda, as I had done in Bosnia, Northern Ireland, and Israel/Palestine. It is through images that brave souls were empowered to speak for themselves.
My second chance at life filled me with infinitely more gratitude and empathy for our veterans, particularly our Wounded Warriors whose sacrificial service came to an abrupt halt. I grasped the pain of losing one’s health, livelihood, and community in one fell swoop. I intimately understood the challenges of acclimating to life after war, including Post Traumatic Stress. For me, photographing music concerts became my balm.
Prior to my tenure overseas, I had forged professional relationships with musical artists, publicists, and promoters. Those dynamics became instrumental in allowing me to orchestrate opportunities for veterans and Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed to hear and meet their favorite musicians in concert and enjoy respite from the hospital.
Quite organically, the program blossomed, one concert at a time. “A Hero’s Welcome” is both an invitation and a celebration of homecoming. Sadly, many veterans and Wounded Warriors never receive the warm homecomings of which they so deserve. One minute they are engaged in combat alongside their buddies and the next they are confined to a hospital bed having endured unspeakable trauma. Many Warriors remain in recovery at Walter Reed for up to two years and then begin the transition into a life they recreate.
Through “A Hero’s Welcome,” they are given a chance to be embraced by the community they bravely served and from whom they have been separated as they heal. For those few hours, in the company of other fans, surrounded by music they love, Warriors can gradually recharge for the journey ahead. That rush of energy that surrounds them has been transformational, as are the private moments where Warriors connect with the artists whose music accompanied them through combat and recovery. The most powerful moments are those when an artist shines the light on the Warriors’ presence from the stage or mentions them by name. Spontaneous applause erupts as the audience rises to their feet in gratitude and support, offering them a hero’s welcome.
While the seeds were planted by my experience abroad, my true inspiration is the resilience and strength of a young Marine named Timothy Donley. Timothy was twenty years old when he deployed to Afghanistan. Tragically, while on foot patrol, he stepped on an IED (Improvised Explosive Devise) that instantly claimed his two legs above the knees, and threatened the loss of his right arm. Timothy was transferred to Walter Reed Military Hospital in Bethesda, MD, where he has remained for the last two years. His journey from service and sacrifice to loss and then healing has been one of the most inspirational examples I have ever witnessed. His faith is strong and his spirits remain high. Despite the devastation, Timothy uses his voice to inspire others through music.
“A Hero’s Welcome” is my way of saying thank you to Timothy and countless other heroes that move amongst us every day. I believe that a connection to music helps fuel the Warriors’ journeys and their incredible resilience inspires mine.