On Wednesday, January 5, 2011, Sam Cila, an injured Iraq War veteran, spoke to WHBHS upperclassmen.
Overcoming adversity. This is the message that was sent out to the upperclassmen of WHBHS on January 5th, 2011. An injured Iraq War Veteran, Sam Cila was the perfect illustration of a man who dealt with physical and mental hardships at war who, in the end, found the strength to overcome his difficulties and observe life from an enlightened viewpoint. He now delivers motivational speeches across the country and participated in various charitable events to support those with similar situations.
On the day of 9-11, Sam had plans to leave for Las Vegas, but his plans for the day soon changed, as well as his plans for his life. Before he signed up for the army, “Sam Cila was a jerk” who was concerned about only himself and didn’t appreciate much of the world around him, but after processing what really took place on the horrific day of 9-11 and noticing how even some of the people he worked with at the Sheriff’s department were affected, a new Sam emerged. He decided he needed to do something for someone other than himself.
He enlisted in the army and was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq in 2004-5 to fight the enemy. Though hard to leave his family, he felt passionate about going to fight. He became an infantry leader in the 69th infantry out of New York, and says, “It was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Working as a teammate, he was focused on keeping his soldiers safe. Unfortunately, the infantry lost 17 men in action and witnessed 72 casualties. One of these casualties included Sam.
While on patrol one morning, Sam and the captain spotted what looked like a bag of garbage, but to be safe, they went to check it out while the others stayed behind. No surprise, the bag was actually a bomb, and they were both standing right in the kill zone.
The bomb was detonated, and Sam pushed his captain out of the way. “He claims I saved his life,” says Sam. “I didn’t. I just didn’t want to be that guy who ended up doing cartwheels in the air!”
A piece of the bomb ricocheted off Sam’s chest plate, cutting an artery in his chest, and into his arm. “Never once did I think I was going to die. I knew my teammates would help me,” shares Sam.
His teammates rushed him to the hospital, and right then Sam witnessed his proudest moment as a leader. These soldiers, shaken up and scared, listened to Sam’s orders and went back out to fight! They had a mission and they were going to finish it.
Sam was sent home and his arm was amputated right above the wrist bone on December 15th, 2008. After battling a long struggle with depression, not knowing how to fix it, a friend asked him to start training for a 5k with him, to get up and start moving again. Running helped him overcome depression, and he has now participated in the Iron Man Triathlon!
Besides working with charity groups for challenged athletes such as “Buddy Bowl” and “Operation Rebound,” Sam Cila works today speaking to teens about overcoming adversity. He teaches them that his injury was challenging, not hard. He believes teammates must be accountable for one another, and you must ATTACK whatever adversity comes your way. He makes it clear that nothing can slow you down.
His mottos during attack? 1. You’re not going to die, 2. Delete all negative thoughts. “You words become your thoughts, and your thoughts become your actions,” said Sam.
Sam has influenced many teens to never give up, as well as his own family members. His mother-in-law, who suffered from breast cancer, said at the dinner table one night, “I don’t care what the doctor says, I’m gonna keep attacking it!” Sam’s word has caught on! She has been one-year cancer free.
His bravery and motivation have inspired many along his journey. When asked who Sam Cila is now, he replied, “Sam Cila is a person who tries to be a good teammate, who is not always perfect, but who always tries.”