Spencer,
I want to personally thank you from the bottom of my heart for what this trip has done for myself and my family. The last few years have been so very difficult. My children & husband, Stuart have had to pick me up when I have fallen down whilst watching me struggle to complete even the simplest of tasks, they have held my hand as I have cried in pain day after day, even had to wash and dress me after I have been through surgery after surgery but they have always remained strong for me. They have never once complained.
Throughout the Veteran games we have come to realise that we are not alone, we have been able to see that so many other people have similar struggles but everyday they continue to smile, proving that life is what you make it, life is fun. For myself, I’ve proven that I can still do things I didn’t even know I could, I have learnt that I am strong, with the support of family & friends around me I can achieve anything. Having been injured and discharged from the Royal Navy some 19 years ago which ended my career, prompting Stuart to leave to provide me with the care and support I now needed has made both myself and Stuart feel so far removed from the life we once knew as serving members of the Armed Forces, serving our country with pride and passion. We felt alone and isolated.
The Games have given us both a renewed faith in a community that we were once a part of. Having the opportunity to share with our children the camaraderie, the team work and the fighting spirit the Armed Forces are renowned for has been so incredibly important to us and none of this would have been possible without you and your altruistic team, the sponsors, the charities and the other veterans who I am proud to now call my friends. The memories of the week and the immense amount of work and effort that went into making the trip so special will stay with us all forever. The close bonds that were made between us all will last a lifetime.
It would be amazing to be able to stay in touch and who knows, maybe we will meet up again in the near future.
Kind regards,
Carra, Stuart, Sophie & Ben
