I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Baskis when he ran in the Chicago Marathon in October. He's an extremely kind person with such an inspiring story. He graciously agreed to be my very first interview for this website. I truly hope this site will allow me the opportunity to meet more people like Steve! Here's his story...
A soldier from the Chicago area lost his vision when serving in Iraq. But he’s not letting his blindness hold him back. He’s inspiring people across the country with his drive, determination and his gym shoes.
Steve Baskis, 23, attempted the Chicago Marathon this October with his best friend and his brother by his side. Just 18 months before the race, a roadside bomb took his vision and left pieces of shrapnel in his leg.
"Some people probably think, 'he shouldn't do this or that' and they don't give me a chance," says Baskis. "But if I can go run 26.2 miles or do a half iron man with a swim, a bike and a run, I feel like I’m normal. And I am normal, I just don’t feel injured. I don’t feel like I’m blind. And it feels good to do that stuff."
And he's been doing a lot of it with his second chance at life. He completed a half iron man, climbed a volcano in Mexico and even made it halfway through the marathon. I was really impressed with that, but to him, halfway wasn't good enough. He's now training harder than ever to try and conquer his goals.
He's come a long way since the day his life changed: May 13, 2008.
"It hit the right side of the vehicle, the EFP, and it went through the door and it killed my buddy instantly. Basically cut him in half really,” recalls Baskis. Victor Cota, who was like a Dad to Baskis while in Iraq, died instantly. Baskis suffered a laundry list of injuries.
The shrapnel hit both his legs and arms, his neck and the side of his head. One piece went right through his temple and ruptured both of his eyes. He would never see again.
Baskis spent months recovering in several different hospitals. “They came in and told me I pretty much may be blind for the rest of my life. It was easy and hard at the same time. I’ve been like this since I woke up. What hurt me the most was my buddy Victor died. I didn’t know he died until I got back to Walter Reid and I woke up. More than my injuries and anything else, that hurt a lot," Baskis remembers.
"I guess the first week was the hardest. But from there on it was like I had a second chance. Don’t take anything for granted. Move forward drive forward,” he says. With countless surgeries, physical therapy sessions and the support of family and friends, he got back on his feet. “I was making the therapist run me around Walter Reid so I was holding her arm and we were running around Walter Reid because I was trying to build my leg up. I was laying in bed and my right leg was injured and I wanted to be able to walk. I’m blind, I better be able to walk.”
He learned to walk again. And how to live in the dark. It hasn't been easy, but everday, he pushes himself further. And everyday he inspires more people.
“Don’t get me wrong, I may seem happy, and I am. I get frustrated though just as much as anyone else," says Baskis. "It's just, hey I’m blind and I have to live with it. And you are either down in the ditches and you hate life and you wanna die, and I’ve met plenty of guys like that, or you move on and you try to live a good life. And that’s all I’m trying to do. Until the day I die I’ll live a good life and do the things I wanna do. I’m no different than the person I was before I was blind. I’m still Steve, I’m just blind Steve.”
Steve is currently training for a spot on the 2012 Paralympic Cycling Team. He also plans to take on the Chicago Marathon again next year.
Steve is also featured in an upcoming documentary about going blind. You can find out more at GoingBlindMovie.com
Photographer: Jordan Arseneau
Reporter/Editor: Sarah Jindra
A soldier from the Chicago area lost his vision when serving in Iraq. But he’s not letting his blindness hold him back. He’s inspiring people across the country with his drive, determination and his gym shoes.
Steve Baskis, 23, attempted the Chicago Marathon this October with his best friend and his brother by his side. Just 18 months before the race, a roadside bomb took his vision and left pieces of shrapnel in his leg.
"Some people probably think, 'he shouldn't do this or that' and they don't give me a chance," says Baskis. "But if I can go run 26.2 miles or do a half iron man with a swim, a bike and a run, I feel like I’m normal. And I am normal, I just don’t feel injured. I don’t feel like I’m blind. And it feels good to do that stuff."
And he's been doing a lot of it with his second chance at life. He completed a half iron man, climbed a volcano in Mexico and even made it halfway through the marathon. I was really impressed with that, but to him, halfway wasn't good enough. He's now training harder than ever to try and conquer his goals.
He's come a long way since the day his life changed: May 13, 2008.
"It hit the right side of the vehicle, the EFP, and it went through the door and it killed my buddy instantly. Basically cut him in half really,” recalls Baskis. Victor Cota, who was like a Dad to Baskis while in Iraq, died instantly. Baskis suffered a laundry list of injuries.
The shrapnel hit both his legs and arms, his neck and the side of his head. One piece went right through his temple and ruptured both of his eyes. He would never see again.
Baskis spent months recovering in several different hospitals. “They came in and told me I pretty much may be blind for the rest of my life. It was easy and hard at the same time. I’ve been like this since I woke up. What hurt me the most was my buddy Victor died. I didn’t know he died until I got back to Walter Reid and I woke up. More than my injuries and anything else, that hurt a lot," Baskis remembers.
"I guess the first week was the hardest. But from there on it was like I had a second chance. Don’t take anything for granted. Move forward drive forward,” he says. With countless surgeries, physical therapy sessions and the support of family and friends, he got back on his feet. “I was making the therapist run me around Walter Reid so I was holding her arm and we were running around Walter Reid because I was trying to build my leg up. I was laying in bed and my right leg was injured and I wanted to be able to walk. I’m blind, I better be able to walk.”
He learned to walk again. And how to live in the dark. It hasn't been easy, but everday, he pushes himself further. And everyday he inspires more people.
“Don’t get me wrong, I may seem happy, and I am. I get frustrated though just as much as anyone else," says Baskis. "It's just, hey I’m blind and I have to live with it. And you are either down in the ditches and you hate life and you wanna die, and I’ve met plenty of guys like that, or you move on and you try to live a good life. And that’s all I’m trying to do. Until the day I die I’ll live a good life and do the things I wanna do. I’m no different than the person I was before I was blind. I’m still Steve, I’m just blind Steve.”
Steve is currently training for a spot on the 2012 Paralympic Cycling Team. He also plans to take on the Chicago Marathon again next year.
Steve is also featured in an upcoming documentary about going blind. You can find out more at GoingBlindMovie.com
Photographer: Jordan Arseneau
Reporter/Editor: Sarah Jindra
2 comments:
An inspiring story from an inspired journalist :)
Steve's a guy I'd be happy to know personally. His "what's next" attitude is a bright light for us all. I hope he continues to share his story--what a great place for him to start!
You're inspiring me out here in VA!
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