A triple amputee and his occupational therapist have formed a strong bond that was crafted by their lives' centerpiece: service to the U.S. Army.
The Washington Post reports Sergeant Monte Bernardo lost both legs and his left hand on July 4 of last year during an Afghanistan bomb blast. Captain Erik Johnson, who holds an occupational therapy job with the military wing, devotes his livelihood to helping his charges heal their mental and physical wounds. He's been working with Bernardo, and the two have formed a bond since Bernardo's tragic injury.
"I remember hearing a noise. I didn't know what it was. Then I hit the ground," Bernardo told the news source, noting he sat down directly on top of where the bomb was planted. "Then my buddy came running through the smoke and dust and stuff. I asked him if my legs were gone. He said, 'Yeah, your legs are gone.'"
But there's more than meets the eye to the occupational therapist: he has extensive skin grafting on his arms, sides and legs following severe burns. He can relate to Bernardo, which has been key to the relationship shared by the two men, according to the Post.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupational therapists help patients perform chores and daily routines following injuries, operations and illnesses.