January 31, 2024

#134: Yoga, NYC Body Shaming & Taking Your Own Leg – Combat Wounded Amputees Dan Nevins & Elana Duffy (2023 NYC Veterans Day Parade Series)

58 minutes

Could you make the decision to remove your own leg. What if you’d already lost the other and taking the second meant starting over? For the final episode of the 2023 NYC Veterans Day Parade, Fran Racioppi and Psychotherapist Drew Newkirk were joined by Dan Nevins and Lana Duffy; two Army soldiers who were faced with one of life’s toughest decisions.

Dan nearly lost his life in an IED explosion in Iraq, now after losing his legs, he shares how Yoga and Wounded Warrior Project saved him from depression, substance abuse and suicide. Lana suffered for years with an undiagnosed brain injury that prevented her physical recovery; today she’s the parades honorary Grand Marshal explaining how to navigate NYC’s culture of beauty and perfection with a body that doesn’t look like everyone else.

Life is full of difficult decisions and most often the toughest decisions are thrust upon us. Are you ready to take action and do something when most are unwilling?

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Highlights:

0:00 Welcome to “Alive Day”
6:53 Dan gets pinned in his vehicle after an IED explosion
21:49 Battling depression, substance abuse and motivation
28:15 How yoga without his legs saved Dan
32:40 The effect of body shame and limiting disabilities after Lana’s IED blast
42:26 Dating in NYC with one leg
57:54 Dan and Lana tell their stories to help others

Quotes:

“The greatest casualty is being forgotten.” (2:35)
“When the explosion happened I could feel and hear the truck basically disintegrate around my body.” (12:48)
“I knew I was going to die. I was making my peace with God. I was just giving up.” (15:19)
“They met me with a backpack and a promise that whatever I needed, whatever my family needed, they’d be there.” (20:54)
“I self-medicated with accomplishment, achievement, doing something.” (23:54)
“Yoga teacher training was the best leadership school I’ve ever been to in my life.” (31:33)
“I was doing limb salvage not just because I wanted to keep my leg, it was ‘I can’t be seen as weak.’” (34:32)
“Keep doing good things because that’s how you’ll be remembered.” (53:43)

Brought to you in partnership with Just Ice Tea, Longtab Brewing & Talent War Group.

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By Fran Racioppi

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