One Connecticut veteran is proving that athletic triumph comes in all forms, taking part in the Department of Defense Warrior Games Challenge this summer.
From wheelchair basketball, cycling, and shooting, to wheelchair rugby, and placing first in track, Jarek Neczypor faced no shortage of challenges at the Warrior Games.
“It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life,” he said.
Held earlier this summer at ESPN World of Sports in Orlando, Florida, the adaptive sports competition brought 250 ill, injured and seriously wounded service members and veterans.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
“No matter what your injury is, no matter what you're going through, everyone comes together to a platform that's equal and where you can really compete in a new way,” Neczypor said.
The New Haven veteran trained for months and represented Team Navy.
“The medals are fun to win. Everyone likes to compete for a medal,” Neczypor said. “But to train and to rehabilitate yourself, to come back from some place that typically is pretty bad to just try something new, it's incredible.”
Local
A retired lieutenant, Neczypor joined the Navy to serve his country and travel the world, and deployed and sailed across Asia.
However he also took multiple injuries during his time in service. The most recent, an accident with a ship line that caused permanent nerve damage, and serious injuries to the chest, shoulder, back, spine, and brain.
“Once you're injured and your body kind of falls apart, it’s pretty easy to spiral,” Neczypor said. “It's a very dark time for a lot of people.”
It is part of the reason he works to uplift other veterans, getting involved in Wounded Warriors, and now as a law student, working at Yale’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic.
“You can take one specific action, and it can affect hundreds of thousands of people in the veteran space,” Neczypor said.
Mental and physical resilience was ever-present the games, where service members connect with one another while taking home medals and celebrating the triumph of spirit.
“To be able to see people progress, whether it's just running down the track, completing a swim lap, or even, you know, just making it out there and trying your best be able to cheer for each other, it's an absolutely amazing experience,” Neczypor said.
