Amputee Gets the Most Out of Life

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - When John Devine enlisted in the Marine Corps during the height of the Vietnam War, he was fulfilling a lifelong dream.

But that dream was cut short when his unit was hit by mortar rounds.

"I woke up the next day, I pick up the sheets, the leg was gone, " Devine said. "And that was it, and this was my new world."

In an instant, Devine's life had drastically changed.

While he described the days that followed as dark and dreary, Devine, a purple heart recipient, said losing his leg on that fateful day ultimately changed his life for the better.

"Sports has definitely been something that has helped me better interact with my disability and life. Losing this leg is like a test -- I probably would have had a very boring life as a non-amputee," Devine explained.

Devine has completed 22 marathons since losing his leg, and started skiing -- a sport he never even tried before he was injured.

"I get all the magazines from the DAV ( Disabled American Veterans ), the VFW ( Veterans of Foreign Wars ), stuff like that," he said. "I flip through the pages and I would see veterans skiing in Colorado, and I always knew it was out there and I said, 'Someday I'm gonna do that.'"

And that's exactly what he did.

Eleven years ago -- Devine hit the slopes for the first time on a mono-ski at the national disabled veteran's winter sports clinic.

Now in its 23rd year -- clinic founder Sandy Trombetta said the mission remains clear.

"We have such a sense of family here. … We're all together in this and that is to provide the greatest possible experience that we can to these veterans," Trombetta said.

Participating in the clinic also gives Devine the opportunity to mentor newly disabled veterans with an inspirational message of his own.

"I said somewhere along the line, 'I am going to live.' I've survived, I lived, I beat death, and I am going to take advantage of whatever comes down my path. I'm gonna take a shot at it," Devine declared.

For more information about the program, log onto www.winter-sports-clinic.va.gov .