Dive Deep Into Kindness

Exploring exotic colors, sea life, and feeling free underwater are a just a couple reasons people love scuba diving. Well, here’s a story from someone who loves scuba diving for a bit of a different reason. At just 20 years old, a soldier named Chris lost both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan. After suffering harshly from PTSD, he found serenity in the water. Known as ‘deptherapy,’ scuba diving changed Chris’ life. It provides him with outstanding mental and physical relief- now he’s helping others who suffer find this same tranquility. 

Following his injury, Chris had no idea what to expect, where to go, or what to do. He didn’t admit he had PTSD for two or three years, feeling that his role as a soldier meant he should embody a rough and tough attitude. Now, Chris is beating PTSD. Though he says he’ll never actually beat it, he is in control and on top of it, and scuba diving has become his safe haven. 

“I’m a soldier, I’m not going to admit I cry myself to sleep at night.” 

Chris says it’s the weightlessness feeling, and having nothing to be worried about under the water because the quietness is simply surreal. His anxiety, flashes, and worries fade away, and this peace reassures him. One of Chris’ students, Gary, was blown up and blinded in one eye. Gary says scuba diving gives him hope where there’s a lot of darkness, and is absolutely inspired by Chris. 

“There’s a guy out there with no legs teaching people how to scuba dive, it’s phenomenal and that’s what I love about him.” – Gary 

Talk about amazing humans. Chris is one man helping so many others turn their lives around from situations many of us could never imagine. Thank you for being another wonderful person in this world that we can all look up to.

Sourced from here.