Wounded soldier's remarkable recovery
U.S. Army soldier Sergeant Matt Krumwiede, a member of the 5-20 Infantry Regiment attached to 82nd Airborne Division, walks through poppies while on patrol in Zharay district of Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, June 11, 2012.
The day after this photo was taken, Krumwiede stepped on an improvised explosive device that tore away both his legs, damaged his left arm, and ripped open his abdominal cavity. Since then he has undergone dozens of surgeries and spent time recovering at Brooke Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, learning to walk again with the use of prosthetic legs. In June 2014, he visited his hometown of Pocatello, Idaho for the first time since he was injured.
A soldier's road to recovery
U.S. Army soldiers carry Sgt. Matt Krumwiede, who was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED), towards a Blackhawk Medevac helicopter in southern Afghanistan, June 12, 2012.
A soldier's road to recovery
U.S. Army soldiers secure an area, as a medic treats Sgt. Matt Krumwiede after he was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Kandahar province, southern Afghanistan, June 12, 2012.
A soldier's road to recovery
U.S. Army soldiers carry Sgt. Matt Krumwiede towards a Blackhawk Medevac helicopter, June 12, 2012.
A soldier's road to recovery
A U.S. Army soldier reacts as he sits inside an armored vehicle after his comrade, Sgt. Matt Krumwiede, was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in southern Afghanistan, June 12, 2012.
A soldier's road to recovery
A blood-covered M4 rifle belonging to Sgt. Matt Krumwiede lies on the ground in southern Afghanistan, June 12, 2012.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army takes a phone call as his hand is massaged by his mother Pam Krumwiede, after being admitted for an infection at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, November 4, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army gets onto a gurney at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 1, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army practices walking at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, August 1, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army wipes sweat off his face after practicing walking at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 1, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede, left, looks at the snowboard pants his mother, Pam Krumwiede, made for him at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb.24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede prepares to put on prosthetic legs to practice riding his longboard, a type of skateboard, at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede practices balancing on his longboard at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army (front, 2nd L) lines up for morning formation at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 1, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede of the U.S. Army, right, sits in pain while his friend Sgt. Jesse McCart and his mother Pam Krumwiede talk, after a day of hunting at a ranch outside San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 2, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede (R) walks with student physical therapist Tommy Weber at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede practices target shooting with the assistance of therapist Dawn Oswald at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede wears a wrist band in memory of his friend, Sterling Wyatt, who was killed in Afghanistan while Krumwiede does physical therapy at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. 24, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede plays a drumming game during occupational therapy at the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, Aug. 1, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede talks to his friend Sgt. Jesse McCart at a hunting ranch outside San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 3, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwied, right, sits in a jeep as he hunts with his friend Sgt. Jesse McCart at a hunting ranch outside San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 2, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede takes aim from a jeep while hunting with his friend, Sgt. Jesse McCart, at a hunting ranch outside San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 2, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede and Sgt. Jesse McCart sit in a jeep while hunting outside San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 2, 2013.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede walks from an airplane with family and friends as he returns to his hometown in Pocatello, Idaho, June 29, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede is interviewed by local media as he returns to his hometown in Pocatello, Idaho, June 29, 2014. It was his first time to Pocatello since he was injured.
A soldier's road to recovery
A welcome sign is seen in front of Sgt. Matt Krumwiede's home in Pocatello, Idaho, June 30, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Sgt. Matt Krumwiede, left, relaxes with his twin brother Sgt. Mark Krumwiede as he spends time with friends at home in Pocatello, Idaho, June 30, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede holds a pellet gun while he spends time with friends at home in Pocatello, Idaho, June 30, 2014.
A soldier's road to recovery
Krumwiede, right, watches his friend, Robert Wilcox, balance on his wheelchair at Krumwiede's home in Pocatello, Idaho, June 30, 2014.