Neil Duncan was just 17 years old when the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks occurred. Like many others, it motivated him to join the Army to become a paratrooper.
He served in Iraq and then Afghanistan. In 2005, about 10 months into that deployment, the vehicle Duncan was riding in rolled over an improvised explosive device, or IED, and exploded.
Duncan who now lives in D.C., said he woke up two weeks later at Walter Reed Medical Center.
“My jaw was wired shut and my arms were immobilized and my legs were gone,” he told WTOP.
Losing both of his legs did not sour him on military service or his life outlook. In fact, Duncan said his experience in the military is what motivated him to move forward.
“Not giving up, staying motivated, personal accountability — those are all core staples that are ingrained in you in the military, and I think those were critical to me pushing forward after I was injured,” he said.
Since the injury, Duncan has achieved a lot — by any standard. He has a degree from the University of Denver and a master’s from Columbia University. He also took up mountain climbing.
“I’ve climbed Kilimanjaro twice, Denali and Aconcagua,” he said.
Duncan said he wanted to see what he could do, while trying to inspire others.
“It shows what can be done, not just to myself but to other people that are in similar situations, whether they are veterans or not,” he said.
Duncan also continues helping fellow vets, telling his story, raising money and pushing for legislation on issues affecting veterans. He advocated for the Major Richard Star Act, which Duncan said, “sort of balances this discrepancy in the differentiation between military retirement and VA disability.”
Duncan was also recently matched with Cowboy, a service dog from America’s VetDogs who assists him with balance, retrieval tasks and navigating crowded environments.
Cowboy also helps him maintain daily routines and reduce stress, giving him the confidence to live independently and stay active in his community.
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