Quadruple Amputee Iraq Veteran Gets New Limbs at Walter Reed

With transplanted arms and Army grit, a quadruple amputee soldiers on
Washington Post
Michael E Ruane
June 30, 2014

Marrocco, at occupational therapy at the Military Advanced Training Center at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. At the time of his injury, he was the first service member from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to survive the loss of four limbs.
(Michel du Cille/The Washington Post)

Brendan Marrocco sits at a table in the occupational therapy room and with the help of his teeth straps the exercise hooks to his wrists.

His new flesh-and-blood hands are not yet strong enough to grip the pull-up bar, so the hooks must do for now.

He slides out of his wheelchair, walks a few steps on the stumps of his legs and looks up at the bar.

“I have to prepare myself to do this,” he says. He reaches up, latches the wrist hooks to the bar and curses. “I’m so not ready right now.”

His occupational therapist, Joe Butkus, who is watching, says: “You got it. This is easy.”

Then the retired Army sergeant, who has no legs and has transplanted arms joined with plates and screws, begins.

One, two, three . . .
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