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The former Combat Engineer recently completed 31 marathons in 31 days. It would be an impressive feat for anyone on the planet, but Jones is a little different from most other people- both his legs have been amputated from a 2010 landmine incident in Afghanistan.
“I decided I would create this story of a veteran that was wounded and thrived from it,” Jones said immediately to The Washington Post after finishing his last race. “I think I accomplished that mission.”
Part motivation to prove that he’s unstoppable and inspire others, and part awareness to raise money for organizations Semper Fi Fund, the Top of the Towers foundation, and the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, Jones quickly built a group of followers who ran every marathon alongside him. With nearly $125,000 raised, it’s safe to say people have been following Jones journey to recovery and beyond!
“The support has been incredible,” said he continued to explain. “It’s such a great compliment to have all these people come out and hear my story and deem it worthy of their time on the weekend, on a holiday and come out and support me.”
According to those that know the hero personally, he’s always been strong in his most difficult moments. When his mother first visited him in the hospital, he wore a pirates hat to try to lighten the mood for her. This propelled him into a comedy tour called the “Comedy Warriors: The Road to Healing,” centered on self-deprecating humor.
Jones’ dedication to pushing himself and society’s views on wounded veterans showcases how strong humans can truly be. We can’t wait to see what he does next, and it looks like others feel the same way:
“Everything he does, he takes it to the extreme and it’s epic,” said fellow soldier Eric Deavilla, who served with Jones when they were in Afghanistan. “Whatever he does next, it’s going to be worth watching.”
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