Prep Talk

Bryan Anderson Speaks at St. Augustine Prep

Posted October 29th, 2013

 

Bryan Anderson, a Iraq war veteran and triple-amputee, visited the campus of St. Augustine Prep on October 25 and addressed the entire school community. In his speech, Anderson spoke of childhood outside of Chicago, Illinois. He talked about his reasons for joining the military and the time he spent in basic training. He spoke of completing his first tour in Iraq and how much had changed when he returned for his second. He told the gathered crowd about the rise of the insurgency and the frequency of exploding roadside bombs. In lurid detail, he shared the events of that fateful day in October of 2005, when an improvised explosive device detonated alongside his caravan and took his legs and left arm.

Of all the stories that Anderson told, none compared to his story of recovery. In the face of unthinkable distress, he persevered with optimism, courage, and hope. On this day, his message to the students, families, friends, faculty, and staff was crystal clear: The only disability that can prevent you from reaching your goals a bad attitude. Anderson has endured more physical and psychological disabilities than most, but he has faced them with an unfailing optimism that is infectious when he tells his story. Today he spoke to the community of St. Augustine Prep, and its members will certainly be affected by his words and his attitude.