FORMER Wangaratta local Brett Lewis was filled with pride after being selected to represent the Australian Defence Force for next month’s Warrior Games in the United States.
The Warrior Games, hosted by the Department of Defence, brings together hundreds of wounded, ill, and injured active duty and veteran military members to compete in adaptive sports as part of their recovery journeys.
This year is the 14th anniversary of the event, with men and women to be representing various Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard and Special Operations Command forces from across the world.
Lewis will be competing in wheelchair basketball, powerlifting, indoor rowing, air-rifle and air-pistol events at the games and said he was looking forward to giving his all.
“I got into my head about three years ago that this is what I wanted, I was aiming for Invictus Games but Warrior Games came up first so I thought I’d give it a crack,” he said.
“I felt a great deal of pride and achievement when I got the call… although I’m injured, I still have been afforded the opportunity to represent my country.”
Lewis enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force as a cook in 2002, after a chance encounter with a recruitment officer while driving taxis around Wangaratta persuaded him to join.
The 48-year-old was then posted to Australia’s Federation Guard in 2004 and went on to serve as an administration clerk and operations officer, before being medically discharged in 2019 due to spinal injuries.
He was deployed to Timor-Leste from 2012-2013 and in the Middle East in 2014, largely on administration-based roles.
During his service, Lewis obtained a serious spinal injury, which required a triple spinal fusion, artificial disc, caged discs and removal of three spinous processes.
The veteran has also received multiple left knee surgeries, shoulder surgeries and half of his left bicep has been removed.
“I came close in 2006 to losing my left leg to a golden staph infection, but the doctors were lucky enough to save it after extensive treatment,” he said.
Lewis said after his spinal surgeries, he was told by his surgeon he would never be able to lift anything heavier than a slab of beer again, but is now lifting nearly 100kg on his bench press.
“I spent three months lifting a broomstick until I had my technique right so I wouldn’t hurt my back and it’s amazing what you can accomplish just through movement,” he said.
“Believing my surgeon's advice, I sat on the couch for a couple of years and didn’t do much.
“I went on a veterans' retreat camp in Canberra just as COVID hit and I met a few guys over there who happened to be from Wodonga and they played wheelchair basketball and convinced me to have a go… I quickly got my own chair and I play regularly now.
“And then at the RSL one day through Open Arms, a veterans' mental health division, I met a couple of guys and they did a veterans' hour down at the local gym, owned and operated by an Army veteran and his wife.
“They took us through some movements, got us motivated, and I haven’t left the gym since.”
A former St Bernard’s Primary School, Wangaratta High School and Wangaratta Tech School student, Lewis said he wanted to become a chef after leaving school, but his time driving taxis led him to re-consider.
Lewis now lives in Wodonga with his wife, Tracey, who will be cheering him on in the States, and their three kids.
Lewis said he didn’t have any overbearing expectations on what he could achieve in his first international adaptive sports event, hoping he could slash a few personal bests.
“I just want to get there and beat myself really, the games aren’t about coming home with medals or glory, it’s about recovery and how sports are helping us recover,” he said.
The games will take place over nine days from June 21-30 near Orlando, Florida.