DVIDS – News – “It’s not just something I say. Adaptive sports truly saved my life.” ~ Corine Hamilton

FALLS CHURCH, Va.- Competing at a national or even a worldwide level in adaptive sports never entered Corine Hamilton’s mind. She fought at first when it was presented to her as a recovery option when she was assigned to the Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU) at Walter Reed back in 2022. “In the beginning, I wanted to do nothing. I felt the depression that my life had changed, and I was going through it mentally as well as physically. That small introduction to adaptive sports, and I know you all hear this a lot, but it truly changed my mental and physical state; it gave me one more hope to hold on to another day.”

Hamilton was a passenger in a car while on assignment in Germany on March 2021 when the vehicle crashed and rolled. After a nine-hour surgery, the once very athletic Army Specialist learned she was paralyzed from the waist down. Thank goodness for adaptive sports. “The Army Recovery Care Program team greatly encouraged me. They didn’t force me; they nurtured and encouraged me. They showed me where I can be right now. I give them huge props for that—look at me,” said the nine-time medalist for Team Army at this year’s Department of Defense Warrior Games in Orlando last month.

Her progress over the last two years has been remarkable. Having competed on Team Army at the 2022 Warrior Games and for Team US at the Invictus Games in Germany last year, Hamilton feels she’s on her way to victory and wellness. “I’m much more confident now. I train, I work hard, especially on my upper body,” explained Hamilton.

The simple things in life that most of us take for granted are the benefactors of Hamilton’s training in adaptive sports. “I do it for competition and health-wise to keep my body fit. Everything I do, my entire livelihood, day to day, I have to transfer from my wheelchair. To use the bathroom, I have to transfer, to get into my car, and get into my bed; it’s all upper body strength,” said Hamilton.

That upper body strength didn’t hurt her at this year’s Warrior Games, where she had a personal best and was highly rewarded. “Oh, I felt so good! I threw a 6.18 in shot put, which was my goal to throw over a six or more. I’ve been training for that this whole time since Invictus last September. And to see that this happened makes me feel excellent! I got a gold medal,” she grinned.

“It’s not just something I say. Adaptive sports truly saved my life. Many times, I wanted to give up and give in to my self-pity and depression. Knowing that Warrior Games are coming up gives me something to push myself and look forward to. It doesn’t have to be a big event like Warrior Games, just an adaptive event that I can challenge myself to see if I am better today than yesterday.”

Training will always be part of Hamilton’s life, she says, and helping others in competition and life is part of her future as she finishes her degree in healthcare management. “I know my time as an athlete at Warrior Games will come to an end. I don’t want it to stop for me. I want to help support others coming after me. I want to help with their mental and physical journey.”