Corie's Story

Aged just six years old, Corie's love for all things military began in London where he watched the Trooping of the Colour.

Twenty years later, through sheer determination, he achieved his dream of joining the British military. Becoming the first Barbadian to ride at the very same spectacle that inspired him years before.

But in 2009, disaster struck. Whilst on operation in Afghanistan, Corie hit a roadside bomb. He lost both his legs.

 This could have marked the end of his military career, but thanks to his unwavering determination, his family, and support from Help for Heroes, Corie has competed in various adaptive sports and has become a world champion in para bobsleigh.

“I first visited England in 1985, where I saw the Changing of the Guard. The pride, the pageantry. It was majestic to me.

“I just thought ‘these people are all moving in unison’, it was otherworldly because it's not something I’d seen before. I was fascinated.

“As an adult I joined the Barbados Police Service, but it felt like a part of me was missing. I longed for military life, so decided to go after it.”

Pursuing his dreams

“I moved to England in 2005 and joined the Household Cavalry. I loved the camaraderie, and how it made me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself.

“It was one of those situations where you look at it and you think this is elite. You're guarding the Queen of England; you're keeping her safe and performing for her. That's pretty special.

“There was no prouder feeling than when I rode through the ceremonial gate to escort the Queen. I was the first person from Barbados to ever do it, and my Mum got to see me.”

In 2009, Corie was deployed to Afghanistan. His role included clearing routes of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Whilst driving an armoured vehicle on operation, the unthinkable happened. 

"We hit an IED. One hundred kilos of Semtex went off underneath my seat. Two weeks later, I woke up in Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham.”

Confronting the unthinkable

Corie’s jaw was broken and wired shut. He had a punctured lung, and his left hand was also badly injured. What he hadn’t yet realised was the other life-changing injuries he’d sustained.

“I asked a nurse to take my boots off because it felt like my legs were being squeezed intensely. She just looked at me. I couldn't fully open my mouth because of my jaw, so I thought she didn’t understand me. She burst into tears and ran outside.

“Then, the consultant came back. They broke the news to me. I'd lost both my legs.”

Corie found himself in a dark place, unable to face what his new future may look like.

“The physio came in every day and said, 'do you want to get up? We can do things to get you moving again.' But I wasn't in a place to accept it yet.

“My first shower in hospital broke me. There was just a sea of red, everywhere. When I rubbed my hands through my hair it just slid off my head.

“I couldn't handle it and cried. A nurse came in and just wrapped her arms around me. She was crying as well. And she was like, ‘You're going to be okay.'

Finding hope

“That evening, I saw my daughters. They hopped up on the bed, and were like, 'Oh, daddy, your legs are broken, but you're going to get some metal legs and you'll be fine.'

“That kick-started whatever engine is inside me. I had to live for my girls.’ I got up the next morning and sent for the physio."

From here, Corie undertook rehab. Within two months, he was back with his regiment in Windsor on new prosthetic legs and was promoted to Lance Corporal.

During this time, Corie also discovered elite sports and competed at the Paralympics, the Warrior Games, and Invictus. But in 2010 he decided to stop to focus on his family. At this point, the Army medically discharged him. It was a huge shock.

"I was angry and bitter. But the support from my family, my troop, and from charities like Help for Heroes was amazing.

“The Charity provided sports recovery and paid for me to train with the GB sitting volleyball team. They also introduced me to bobsleigh and supported my training. I don't think I’d be as successful, bobsleigh-wise, without Help for Heroes.

Overcoming the unimaginable

“Sport is life. It's the crutch that I lean on. I'm not angry or upset about what happened anymore. I’m at peace with who I am now and what I do. But there's an internal monster that's never fed. Knowing that I will never be able to fulfil my potential as a soldier bothers me.

“There are also moments I feel disabled. Like when I have a swollen knee and can't put weight on my leg, so I have to depend on people. That’s tough.

“Sometimes you give in to it, and it's very difficult to pull yourself out of that hole. But my family gives me 24 hours to process. Then the next day, they're like, ‘Enough. Let's start moving again. Life needs to go on.’

This positivity and determination have helped Corie overcome the unimaginable and achieve multiple sporting accolades and achievements.

“I've won the bobsleigh World Cup and have been ranked top three in the world since 2015. There's a lot of success that's happened because of what Help for Heroes did for me initially.

“I've also just become a level 1 coach for bobsleigh, which is cool. Sitting volleyball-wise, I'm still with the national team, and I still play with Help for Heroes, we're in the finals this year.”

A word of thanks

When it comes to advocating for Help for Heroes, Corie just has one thing to say.

“I share my story as a massive thank you to the public.

“Every veteran who was injured in any war, the public saw us get injured. What they don't see is what we've become and how we’ve overcome horrific injuries.

For me, it's important for people to see where their money's gone, how veterans like me have evolved, how we've come back, and how we are still serving in one fashion or another.”