Shilo Harris is the son of a Vietnam veteran. He came from a family deeply rooted in military service. Harris always wanted to be a soldier, so it’s no surprise he enlisted in the Army after the September 11 attacks.
After answering the call of duty, Staff Sgt. Harris was sent to Iraq. While on his second deployment there in 2007, Harris was badly injured when the Humvee he was riding in struck an IED. Three of his close friends were killed. Harris was left with devastating injuries.
“My face was charred black, my nose was gone, my ears were gone, I had blood running out of my nose, my mouth, my eyes and I just couldn’t believe that was me that I was looking at,” Harris told WNYT.
In the years since the incident, Harris has taught himself how to speak, walk, and talk again. He also had to shift his thinking to have a better outlook. He’s become an author and motivational speaker since his injuries.
“I quit focusing on the negative in my life and started focusing on the positive,” he said. “I used to not have lips, it was like bubbles, but now I got lips, I’ve got ears. I’ve even got Spock ears. How awesome is that?,” Harris joked.
Harris now hopes to raise awareness of the wounds of war, as well as inspire others.
“My scars have been a blessing in that sense where people are able to come and confide and feel comfortable confiding in me. I can’t help each and every person, but sometimes it’s just being there to hear them and acknowledge them is all they need to get through that moment.”
