I apologize in advance if this is not where I should post a build thread.
So here it is- back story and all it's glory.
I have been an Offroad enthusiast since the day I was born. I love being out in the wilderness and pushing metal and machine to its limits. Ain't nothing better than being behind the wheel on some back woods trail in the middle of no where.
I enlisted in to the Marine Corps giving up most of that joy I experienced and the time to be out on trails. Back to back deployments and MEU's kept me from family, friends and my beloved hobby. In 2011 while deployed in the Helmand Province, I got hurt. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and this has resulted in not being able to continue on with a career in the USMC. Things became extremely hard for my wife and I. If the brain bleeding and seizures weren't enough, I fell in to a state of depression. I closed the world off. One day the wife came up with the idea of getting a jeep and getting back to something I used to love doing. At first I was hesitant and pushed back. But low and behold she came home with a jeep a few days later! After the initial shock that my wife just bought a jeep with out discussing it with me, we drove around and something just felt different. Something I hadn't experienced in a few years, Joy and happiness. We started planning trips on the weekend and eventually started meeting other prior service members. My whole life turned around and I haven't been more happy.
You might ask why does all this matter?
Well there are thousands of individuals that feel exactly how I did after returning from combat. Some things we see, do and have been through are so tough that it leads your mind to a different place. I can't stand by and watch a fellow brother or sister fall into the same thing I did or have thoughts I had.
Drew keys (retired USMC sniper) and myself came up with the idea to build a buggy that could allow other wounded warriors or other military members drive during runs. Let them catch the bug as I did and get some joy back in there life.
We decided to push through and pay out of pocket to see it come to life and hopefully help change a few life's.
This thread is dedicated to the building of "The Raptured Duck" buggy.
So here it is- back story and all it's glory.
I have been an Offroad enthusiast since the day I was born. I love being out in the wilderness and pushing metal and machine to its limits. Ain't nothing better than being behind the wheel on some back woods trail in the middle of no where.
I enlisted in to the Marine Corps giving up most of that joy I experienced and the time to be out on trails. Back to back deployments and MEU's kept me from family, friends and my beloved hobby. In 2011 while deployed in the Helmand Province, I got hurt. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and this has resulted in not being able to continue on with a career in the USMC. Things became extremely hard for my wife and I. If the brain bleeding and seizures weren't enough, I fell in to a state of depression. I closed the world off. One day the wife came up with the idea of getting a jeep and getting back to something I used to love doing. At first I was hesitant and pushed back. But low and behold she came home with a jeep a few days later! After the initial shock that my wife just bought a jeep with out discussing it with me, we drove around and something just felt different. Something I hadn't experienced in a few years, Joy and happiness. We started planning trips on the weekend and eventually started meeting other prior service members. My whole life turned around and I haven't been more happy.
You might ask why does all this matter?
Well there are thousands of individuals that feel exactly how I did after returning from combat. Some things we see, do and have been through are so tough that it leads your mind to a different place. I can't stand by and watch a fellow brother or sister fall into the same thing I did or have thoughts I had.
Drew keys (retired USMC sniper) and myself came up with the idea to build a buggy that could allow other wounded warriors or other military members drive during runs. Let them catch the bug as I did and get some joy back in there life.
We decided to push through and pay out of pocket to see it come to life and hopefully help change a few life's.
This thread is dedicated to the building of "The Raptured Duck" buggy.
