Time Out New York
November 3-9, 2005

Achilles wheel
An NYC track club helps disabled soldiers turn the marathon into Veterans Day

Last year, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Dustin Tuller tried out a wheelchair for the first time at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where he'd been undergoing rehab after losing both legs in Iraq. Tuller adjusted to his new ride almost immediately. "I took off down the hall," he recalls. Indeed. Last year, Tuller entered the New York City Marathon, finishing in 2 hours, 13 minutes. Now he's back to beat his time and lead 30 other disabled vets across the finish line.

Tuller and company are competing thanks to the Achilles Track Club, a New York-based organization which inspires disabled veterans to race. Mary Bryant, who heads Achilles, notes that besides giving soldiers a goal, Achilles obtains public and private underwriting for prostheses, wheelchairs, entry fees and travel. How does she know when someone is ready? In Tuller's case, she says, "I knew when he joked, 'I used to be a stand-up comedian.'"

Tuller ran high-school track in Florida, and entered the military in 1994. In 2003, he came under fire while patrolling Baghdad. Hit several times, he was flown to a hospital in Germany where his legs were amputated. Now back in Florida, he's learning to walk with artificial limbs while studying to become a physical-education teacher. And make no mistake, Tuller is ready to roll. "Last year, I found an American flag in the road around mile two," he says. "I held that thing in my mouth the whole way."—David Gerlach

© 2009 david gerlach | contact: davidgerlach at yahoo dot com