Life has its plan, we decide obstacles and opportunities, says Jody Mitic at Wounded Warriors Gala

Jody Mitic doesn't remember a whole lot about that moment 10 years ago when he lost his legs after stepping on a land mine during a tour of duty in Afghanistan.

The Ottawa man does remember that he landed on his back, with his radio under him, his rifle and night-vision goggles gone, and his nose, mouth and ears full of dirt.

Then the pain hit, and it was the worst he'd ever felt. From then on, his job was to stay alive.

Mitic, a 20-year Canadian Armed Forces veteran and Sniper Team leader, was guest speaker at the Wounded Warriors Gala, a fund-raiser hosted by Bruce Power and its partners in the nuclear supply community, Tuesday evening at the Davidson Centre in Kincardine.

He received a standing ovation as he rolled on stage in his wheelchair. He has prosthetic legs but has been unable to wear them since last fall.

An engaging speaker, Mitic is candid about losing his legs.

“I've been in the army since I was 17,” he said. “I always wanted to be a soldier - I was a sniper. In fact, in 2001, only three of us passed that course – Day 5 of my course, 9/11 happened. Two of us continued with the army, and one left to join Bruce Power's tactical team.

“We all have a plan in life, but things don't always go the way we planned. I planned to be a soldier and I loved it. If they had prosthetic legs for the army, I'd still be chasing ISIS today.”

In 2007, he was on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan, and was on patrol with his team, clearing a village in search of the Taliban. Everything was going smoothly until he stepped on a land mine.

“I didn't hear anything,” said Mitic. “I remember an orange flash of light across my eyes and I was in the air.”

Then he was on the ground, fighting to stay alive as his patrol team, medics, surgeons, everyone worked to save him. He said a medic gave him a shot of morphine but it doesn't act as fast as it does in the movies – it actually takes about 15-20 minutes to kick in.

“So, there I was,” said Mitic. “I had planned to be a soldier, retire at 60 and be that grumpy old guy at the Legion. But suddenly, I was 30 and I had no feet. I had to figure out if this was an obstacle or an opportunity.”

His wife, Alannah, was one of the medics who helped save his life. They married, and on Sept. 17, 2008, his first daughter was born. “That's when I knew that life without feet was going to be okay.”

Mitic has worked hard to overcome obstacles, following the loss of his legs. After a few short months of rehabilitation, he was up and walking. He made national media headlines when he completed the Achilles five-kilometre run on two prosthetic legs, and went on to complete the Canada Army Run half-marathon.

By 2013, he continued to push himself harder, competing in the Amazing Race Canada's first season with his younger brother, Cory. They finished in second place, and people from across the country took the time to tell him he had become a model of perseverance, strength and hope for Canadians.

Mitic then became political and decided he could serve his country another way. He retired from the army and in 2014, was elected city councillor for Innes Ward, representing nearly 40,000 constituents at Ottawa City Hall.

He is a best-selling author. His book, “Unflinching: The Making of a Canadian Sniper,” is a powerful chronicle of the honour and sacrifice of an ordinary Canadian fighting for his country, and an inspirational memoir about living your dreams and never giving up.

His second book, “Everyday Heroes,” is a compilation of 21 stories about amazing Canadians in the military, from the Second World War to recent tours in Afghanistan.

As he wrapped up his presentation, Mitic said his second daughter was born Dec. 19, 2011.

"My girls are what keep me going when things get tough - and speaking to audiences like you," he said. "Life has its plan but no plan survives first contact with the enemy. You decide what's an obstacle and what's an opportunity. You are a role model to somebody else. Your actions reverberate with others. Support Wounded Warriors!"

The Kincardine gala raised $125,000 for Wounded Warriors Canada which honours and supports Canada’s ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans, first-responders and their families. The organization, has now received about $675,000 from Bruce Power’s annual gala over the past six years. This funding goes toward programs that assist with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, trauma recovery, education, job skills training, and veterans transitioning to civilian life.

“Wounded Warriors Canada plays a vital role in the lives of thousands of Canadian military members, veterans and their families,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power president and chief executive officer. “Bruce Power is fortunate to benefit from the leadership of dozens of Canadian military veterans who are now on our staff, and collaborating with Wounded Warriors Canada is just one way we can thank them for their service to our country.”

Philip Ralph, program director at Wounded Warriors Canada, thanked Bruce Power and its partners for their continued support of the organization.

“Every day, we see regular people from across the country doing what they can to help Canada’s military members and our brave veterans,” he said. “With the generous support of Canadians and companies like Bruce Power and its suppliers, we can continue with our mission of care and compassion as the nation’s leading, wholly independent veterans’ charity, focusing on mental health.

“Our innovative and wide-ranging programming continues to change and save lives among our ill and injured veterans, first responders and their families and our significant ongoing partnership with Bruce Power reminds us that as a nation we are in this together.”