Soldier Loses Both Arms in Iraq, Paints Using Prosthesis

Peter Damon lost both his arms while serving in Iraq. After a long and slow process of rehabilitation, he has taught himself how to draw using his prosthesis, and is now making art.

A former Sergeant in the National Guard, Peter Damon was working on a Blackhawk helicopter when a tire exploded, causing him to lose both his arms, and killing his friend Paul Bueche. Damon was removed from Iraq and spent a long time undergoing rehabilitation at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Maryland, which provided a prosthetic for his left arm. He was understandably despondent, having lost both arms and the loss of everything that one takes for granted when they have working appendages. However, he eventually found hope when he was learning to write again. "One day I practiced writing... I thought, If I can write, why can't I draw," he told Iraqi Bloggers Central. His first work of art with the prosthesis was a pencil drawing of a stuffed bear, which nearly brought his wife, Jean, to tears when she saw it, as it symbolized that he was getting better. Thankfully, his family's finances are secure due to his government pension. So now he is focusing on opening an art gallery in Middleboro, MA for up and coming local artists. "Now I can still do something.' A sense of worth and the extra drive to get better," said Damon. Here's wishing him much success!