The Crabbe Family

On August 26, 2011, Marine Cpl Justin Crabbe was on his second deployment in Afghanistan, patrolling along a dam and expecting to be back at base by breakfast. Then, he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED).

The blast took both legs above the knee and damaged his left hand. Justin remembers the moment vividly—no sound, just the overwhelming smell of burning flesh. He was found face down in a puddle, unconscious and presumed dead.

His fellow Marines applied tourniquets and assured him the others were safe. Unsure if he would survive, Justin made a friend promise to call his mother and tell his family that he loved them and was sorry. He was then evacuated and sedated for nearly three weeks due to lung complications caused by nearly drowning at the blast site.

Despite the trauma, Justin’s family stood by him every step of the way. Their constant support helped carry him through recovery.

“I had them by my side the time. Mentally, they kept me in the game. They kept me going and physically I wouldn’t be nearly as strong and able as I am.”

Today, Justin lives with his wife, Casey, and their daughter, born in January 2016. Their accessible home gives him independence and “the ability to live a normal productive life without feeling like I am handicapped or disabled.”

The Crabbe family’s story is a powerful reminder of resilience, love, and the difference that community and family can make in the face of life-altering injury.