I don’t know about you but when I fly I typically don’t like to talk to the person or persons next to me. I usually put on my iPod or mp3 player and zone out. However, on a recent trip back from Washington D.C. I sat beside someone I could not talk to enough.

As I sat down in my seat I noticed a women who looked quite tired from a long day of doing business in Washington. She was on her cell phone so I squeezed into the seat next to her trying not to disturb her. As she ended her phone call she looked out the small plane window and seemed anxious to get home like I was.

As I said, normally I don’t play Mr. Congeniality on the airplane but I felt compelled to say hello to her and make small talk while we waited to take off. I introduced myself and asked her if she lived in Pittsburgh and why she was in Washington. She did live in Pittsburgh but what was more interesting was why she was in Washington.

I came to find out that she was in our nation’s capital lobbying congress on behalf of injured military soldiers. Her son Sgt. Jeremy W. Feldbusch was an Army Ranger in Iraq. He was severely injured back in 2003 by shrapnel that hit him in the head during a firefight with terrorists.

Jeremy and his team were securing a dam that was set to explode. As they were securing this area they were ambushed. As the fight raged on Jeremy and his team fought off the enemy for hours and hours. In fact Jeremy stayed on his machine gun for over 36 hours straight. Unfortunately at one point a piece of metal flew through the air and struck Jeremy in the forehead ripping out his right eye, sliding across his forehead and severely damaging his left eye. The laceration was so deep his brain was hit in such a way that it collapsed. He lost sight and had severe brain damage.

Charlene, his mother, told me this story on our short plane ride from DC like it had happened yesterday. She spoke so highly of Jeremy because of the person he has become through this seemingly insurmountable tragedy.

After three years and countless surgeries Jeremy Feldbusch is now a champion for other injured soldiers around the country. He and his mother lobby on behalf of those soldiers in congress to make sure they get what they deserve from Uncle Sam. Jeremy is a spokesperson for Wounded Warriors Project in Roanoke, VA. He travels the country speaking about his story and the stories of those he is determined to help.

Jeremy went to Iraq to defend out freedom, suffered huge injuries, and how is living his passion by helping other soldiers just like himself realize that they to can make a difference in this world. Jeremy could have reacted quite differently to this major incident in his life. And who would have blamed him? He did lose his sight, suffer brain damage, and have to have a titanium plate installed in his forehead to hold up his brain. But he didn’t. He is making the best of his life with or without his site.

This story was very motivating to me. It made me realize how pitiful our complaints can become when we feel everything isn’t going our way. Jeremy is a very inspirational person because of how he has reacted to a very bad incident in his life. A true test of our character is seeing how we react during tough times and not good times. Jeremy also found his passion in life. He travels the country for other soldiers like himself. He realized that he could make a difference through his work even though he has suffered so greatly.

In fact Jeremy’s story has even caught the attention of some filmmakers who followed the Feldbusch’s around for a year making a movie about Jeremy and his life after injury. The move is set for release in the near future. His mother tells me it will air on Showtime.

I want to say thank you to Jeremy Feldbusch and his mother Charlene for doing such a great job with the Wounded Warrior Project and helping so many of our injured men and women of the military.

I had the privilege of meeting Jeremy after I picked up my bags at the airport. His mother saw me get my bags and then called me over to meet this now infamous man. I was very glad I had the honor of shaking the hand of a man who gave up so much for his country but learned his passion in life by doing it.

Thanks again Jeremy and God bless you!