Marine Sergeant Collin Raaz was on his third deployment when he lost both of his legs and broke his pelvis after stepping on an IED in the Upper Garresh Valley in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on June 15, 2011. The Scout Sniper Team Leader, Sgt. Raaz was leading a security patrol when he stepped on a pressure plated IED. The explosion traumatically amputated both of his legs and broke his pelvis; thrown through the air, Sgt. Raaz landed in an irrigation canal.
Quick thinking by his team members saved his life as they waited for a helicopter to transport Sgt. Raaz to Camp Bastion. Next transported to Bagram Air Force Base, Collin would be treated in Landstuhl, Germany before spending a month at the Bethesda Naval Medical Center in Maryland. Originally losing one leg above the knee and the other below the knee, eventual surgery was required to take his right leg above the knee as well. Transferred to Balboa Medical Center in San Diego, he continues his treatments and therapies there at this time.
Sgt. Raaz enjoys an active lifestyle and his present goals include improving his walking and eventually running again. He looks forward to trying adaptive sports and is especially interested in sled hockey. An avid reader with an interest in the stock market and investments, Collin hopes to one day go into business for himself as an investor and a traditional business owner. He aspires to volunteer his time to assist other people facing the challenges that accompany disabilities.
When asked what receiving a specially adapted home from Homes for Our Troops would mean to him, Sgt. Raaz shared the following, “The security and reliability that HFOT provides in these uncertain times for me is reminiscent of the faith I had in my Marines in country. Knowing I will have a secure home from which to pursue my goals free from worry will allow me to focus every ounce of my energy towards moving forward. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.”
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