An Ohio University sophomore who lost his leg during a free-fall skydive at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., this summer is remaining positive that life will return to normal despite the setbacks.
Matt Pirrello, 20, from Centerville, Ohio is recovering in San Antonio at the Center for the Intrepid, a rehab center for injured military personnel. He lost his right leg from mid-thigh down and suffered a double compound fracture in his left leg while participating in the Air Force Airmanship Program at the Academy June 25.
I am a really athletic and active person
so the hardest part has been having that temporarily taken away from me Pirrello said.
The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but OU Air Force ROTC Lt. Col. Alex Cantu said ROTC cadet accidents are not common.
The last time there was an accident at the Air Force Academy involving a cadet was in 2005, but was not as serious as Pirrello's accident, he said.
The Air Force is paying for Pirrello's prosthetic leg and physical therapy at the Center for the Intrepid. He is the first cadet to be admitted to the center since it opened in 2007.
If one of our own is in need of our help we do our best to do just that
Cantu said. We wish him a speedy recovery and to come back to school soon.
Although Pirrello is confined to a wheelchair, he will begin using the prosthetic leg when his left leg heals, Pirrello said. His total recovery time is six months to a year, and he could one day swim and run with the help of his prosthetic.
Despite Pirrello's extensive injuries, he remains positive and is not overlooking the lessons he learned from the experience.
Being down here
I have seen the other soldiers who have been injured
and some have been injured in combat
Pirrello said. Meeting them has made me have more respect for the guys fighting for their country and who have worse injuries than I do.
Pirrello said he is planning to return to OU in the spring where he will pick up as a sophomore studying economics and management.
His ROTC scholarship is on hold for now, but if he can pass the physical test and the medical board when he returns, it will be reinstated, he said.
Knowing he has the opportunity to continue with the Air Force ROTC and resume his studies with a full scholarship is what keeps Pirrello going strong.
This experience has taught me to keep working hard and everything will be all right
he said.
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