Triple Amputee Bryan Anderson to Speak at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

• By Laurie Watanabe
• Oct 07, 2014

Former U.S. Army Sergeant Bryan Anderson lost both legs and an arm in 2005, while serving in Iraq. The vehicle he was driving hit an Improvised Explosive Device, instantly changing Anderson’s life.

What the explosion and his extensive injuries could not do, however, was take away Anderson’s unique perspective of the world. At times, that perspective is serious – after all, Anderson spent more than a year at Walter Reed Army Hospital and faced much more than his share of trials during the recovery and rehabilitation processes.

But just as often, his perspective is rather irreverent, and the outcomes, hilarious. It’s not that Anderson practices at being a comedian. But the stories he tells, and the ways he’s found solutions to a world not always accessible to someone using prosthetic limbs or a wheelchair, reveal a spirit that is adventurous, creative and still completely undefeated.

Anderson today serves as a spokesperson for Quantum Rehab, a manufacturer of power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and other mobility equipment. He also has done significant work for USA Cares, an organization that supports military families. While he takes those commitments very seriously, Anderson comes across as anything but a stuffy, buttoned-up corporate figurehead or an American hero on a pedestal. He’s approachable, friendly, and open about his personal experiences – many of which need to be heard to be believed.

On Oct. 15, Anderson is speaking at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania’s Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall.

The program is being sponsored by the school’s Disability Advisory Committee, and admission is free. For more information, e-mail Bob Heckrote at rjh24917@huskies.bloomu.edu.

If you’ll be in the neighborhood, stop by at 6:30 p.m. And if you can’t see Anderson in person this time, visit his Web site to learn more about what he’s lived through and what he’s living for now. You’ll also find a lengthy list of other personal appearances.