For everyone at SJHHS, September 23 brought a new wave of excitement, kicking off the Homecoming spirit week with “Military Monday.” The same day, those enrolled in English II Accelerated classes (some, coincidentally wearing camo themselves) were visited by a former war veteran, Seth Reimers, who came to humbly share his story with the students.

According to Katie Wegner, the English II Accelerated students received an assignment to interview anyone who had been a first hand witness of any war, whether they had been a cook, nurse, or soldier in any branch of service. The assignment served as a way of preparing them to draft a narrative story where they will create an imaginary character and write about the difficult times faced throughout their time away at war.

Reimers, offering a deeper look into his career in the Army, said that his life completely changed the day after he turned 25 when he was hit by an explosive device in Al Mahmudiya, Iraq. Both of his lungs collapsed, three pieces of scrap metal were lodged in his brain, and he was sent into a coma before being transported to a medical institute in Maryland.

Reimers admitted that training both his physical and mental strength back to what it was before the injury was a struggle, but day by day, he saw improvements. “You just have to try to focus on the positive things, and find your purpose,” said Reimers.

The story that Reimers shared with the classes helped to give them an insight as to what his life was like when he was in service, from something as simple as how the food tasted, to a few stories about himself and his partners who had been wounded in battle.

Hearing of all the hard times that Reimers had endured while overseas, the students were able to “think beyond the teenage point of view,” said Wegner.

“I think it’s important for students to hear about experiences from someone enlisted, since our stories will vary based on what part we play. It gets the students thinking about perspective,” said Wegner.

Now after 13 months spent in different hospitals and rehabilitation centers, 17 surgeries under his belt, and 100 units of blood drawn out of him, Seth Reimers works in San Diego as an environmental consultant and continues to share his stories and experiences with those around him.