Disabled vets rise above injuries.....

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" Shot through the arm and spouting arterial blood, Cpl. Nate Watson survived a firefight and was helicoptered out of the mountains in northern Afghanistan four years ago.

Somehow, despite losing the use of his left hand, he’s headed back to some different mountains this week.

Watson, 34, plans to observe the 9/11 anniversary by scaling the scary Half Dome monolith in Yosemite National Park.

Why does a veteran who survived a Taliban ambush want to hang by a string off a 4,000-foot cliff?

Credit the persuasive power of Andrew “Sully” Sullens, 30, who did something similar last year, when he climbed one of the Grand Tetons on Sept. 11.

Sullens and Watson were buddies — part of the same Charlie Troop in the 48th Brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard — and they were wounded in separate incidents only three months apart.

In May 2009, Sullens was driving in a security convoy when his truck ran over a bomb, blowing him out of the gun turret and destroying much of his right leg, which was eventually amputated below the knee.

With the encouragement of Eric Gray, whose Atlanta-based non-profit Catalyst Sports helps wounded veterans get involved in outdoor pursuits, Sullens took up kayaking and rock climbing. He made the Grand Tetons climb with the help of Paradox Sports, a similar outfit based in Boulder, Colo.

This year Sullens talked Watson into coming along. They will be among the 20 wounded veterans that Paradox is taking to the Yosemite expedition."
 
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