FALLS CHURCH, Va.- In the blink of an eye, Staff Sgt. Allaijah Churchwell’s life changed forever. The Motor Transport Operator always rode his e-bike to the gym on post, and on November 29, 2023, he was hit by a car. “I had two broken femurs, five broken ribs, and a ruptured spleen,” said the single father of a five-year-old son.
Churchwell has nine years of active-duty service in the Army and was preparing to further his career. “At first, I was worried about my orders because I was going to be a drill sergeant. Then it hit me that I will not be the same. I worried I would no longer be the high-speed Soldier I know I am.”
After a several surgeries at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, he transferred to Tripler Army Medical Center, where he entered the Soldier Recovery Unit. “I did not know what the SRU was. I was in the hospital at Tripler, and my 1st Sgt came and told me he wanted me to go there to focus on my recovery and get back in the fight so I can get back on my drill orders,” said the highly motivated Churchwell.
He was on crutches for a while, learning to build strength back into his legs. “I had a little limp, but I knew I had to take baby steps. The biggest learning curve for me was learning to have patience. I realized I was used to going for a run if I had a difficult day, was bored, or I wanted to exercise, but I was truly struggling to walk.”
He says he went from being independent to needing help from others. At the SRU, Churchwell was encouraged to try adaptive sports to help with his recovery. He did, and he was hooked! Then he went to the Army Trials at Fort Bliss, Texas, in April to show what he could do.
“I learned how to swim and started enjoying it, and I am surprisingly good at it! I did not know anything about Warrior Games, but in my recovery, it was fun being with people, connecting with Soldier athletes who had similar situations. I was in my head a lot, but I learned how to do things adaptively. The folks at the SRU and my coaches were with me every step of the way, and adaptive sports showed me what I can do.”
Churchwell also competed in archery, shooting, sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby, and proudly competed in track. “It has been a long journey, but for the mile, I did it in 7 minutes and 24 seconds, and for the 400, I did it in 1 minute and 18 seconds. I was pretty happy with myself.”
He should be. He made it on Team Army and will compete at the 2025 Department of Defense Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, July 18- 26th. “I’m very excited not only to represent the Army but also to represent myself. I want to show the world how far I’ve come and tell everyone, no matter what you’ve been through, as long as you put your mind to it, anything is possible.”
Churchwell is proud that he has improved so much. “I think it’s the most underdog experience for me to compete on Team Army. I went from being unable to walk and feeling like I would not be the same person again to getting to go to the games.”
Churchwell considers it a blessing that the SRU was there for him. “A lot of people feel like when you have injuries, you are alone, and I know for me, I was dealing with depression and anxiety. Once I got to the SRU, I realized I was with people going through something similar. Being at the SRU made me know I am not alone. Everything about the SRU is good and helpful,” said Churchwell.
He is embracing his recovery at the SRU, and while these times can seem uncertain, he is weighing all his options. “If I can return to duty, I want to follow through and be a drill sergeant. But if I cannot and need to retire medically, I already know I want to be a full-time father to my son.”
If the latter happens, he is working with the Career and Education arm of ARCP to be ready. “I am looking into business courses. I have my own carpet cleaning business on the side, and those classes will help me further my business. I want to be my own boss. I want to help people and give off a positive energy with whatever I do.”
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