CINCINNATI — After trauma and tragedy, local veteran John Kremer found passion and triumph in his new reality.
Kremer joined the Navy in 2003 as an explosive ordinance technician.
“It’s kinda like a little kid's dream job — you got to roll around in the mud, shoot guns, jump out of airplanes and blow stuff up,” said Kremer.
While deployed in Afghanistan in 2010, Kremer and his team were tasked with clearing a hilltop where his life forever changed.
“My metal detector missed a landmine and I ended up stepping on it which resulted in the loss of both of my legs below the knee,” said Kremer.
Kremer was in the hospital for weeks — first in Germany and then in Bethesda, Maryland. Kremer lost his left foot and right heel, he opted to have his right leg medically amputated.
During this time, Kremer struggled with the idea that he’d be in a wheelchair for several years. But that turned out to not be the case.
“The prosthetist and another Wounded Warrior came up and visited me in the hospital, and basically told me that I’d be up and walking around in a week,” said Kremer.
From there his recovery was quick. A month after he was hurt, Kremer was walking. A few months later, Kremeer was running again and remained in active duty for another two years.
It was during that time he began competing in the Wounded Warrior Games — the Paralympics for the military, as Kremer describes it.
He first tried his hand at cross-country skiing, but it was not a good fit.
“That sport wasn’t for me because it was pretty cold. it was like -50 degrees outside,” said Kremer.
He then opted for a summer sport, specifically volleyball. He joined Team USA’s Paralympic sitting volleyball developmental team.
Then, in 2015, Kremer was invited to watch the USA national sitting volleyball team play in a scrimmage. In the second set, the coach pulled him into play.
“So after that, I became the libero for the men’s national sitting volleyball team in 2015. I helped the team qualify for Rio in 2015 at the Parapan Games in Toronto, and then was very fortunate enough to get selected as one of the members for the Rio Paralympics in 2016,” said Kremer.
Kremer and his team unfortunately did not qualify for Paris 2024, but they’re already looking forward to Los Angeles 2028.
We asked Kremer if he ever thought he’d be a professional Paralympian when he first signed up for the Navy. He said not one bit, though the experience has been healing for him.
“I think it is because like for me, being able to just talk about my story has helped me with my recovery and be able to get passed what happened,” said Kremer.
Several nonprofits such as Wounded Warriors and the Semper Fi Fund, which helps veterans in any way needed, helped open doors for Kremer and have him realize what was possible, despite his limb loss.
He said it was learning about what help was out there that pushed him to keep going.
“That’s what, you know, helped and helped me get motivated to actually pursue those opportunities,” said Kremer.
Kremer is participating in the Semper Fi Fund’s end-of-year fundraiser to help other veterans like himself and their families. The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) will partner with Semper Fi & America’s Fund in the Double Down for Veterans Match Campaign. Both organizations will match every donation made to the fund dollar-for-dollar up to $10 million.
To donate you can click here.
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