Wheelchaired for Years, US Army Veteran Aims for Big Track and Field Goals After 2024 Miss

Serena Williams once said, “A champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” When life pushes you down, it’s your choice to stay there or rise again—and Sgt. Big Country, Brian Conwell, chose to rise again. His journey from a retired Army Sergeant to a pro para-athlete has inspired the nation. After his military career was cut short by a devastating accident that left him bedridden and reliant on a wheelchair, he never gave up; he looked life squarely in the eye and said I will take you on.

Having served nine years in the army, Brian Conwell’s career and life took a devastating turn in 2014. While off duty and running a short errand to grab food for his fellow soldiers, Conwell lost control of his vehicle on black ice, plunging 150 feet down a ravine near Fort Riley, Kansas. The fall left both of his legs crushed beyond repair. “Ended up crushing both my legs, lost the left one above the knee, and the right one is called a limb salvage,” said Conwell in an interview with the News Leader 9, on August 29th.

It was a tough time for the big man, as not only did his army career end, but he also lost his most important limbs. After the accident, he spent six years in isolation, even going so far as to contemplate ending his life: “So depressed away from everybody, sitting here 415 pounds, out of shape, the blinds closed in my house.” But, one fine day, Conwell decided to prove the doctors wrong, not only by standing again but also by pursuing sports.

Now, it has been 9 years since his accident, and Sgt. Brian Conwell is nothing but an inspiration for everyone who has come close to giving up. Three years ago, he earned a Paralympic license, and since then, he has amassed an impressive 16 medals in adaptive sports. Just weeks ago, he demonstrated his skill at the Track and Field Nationals in Eugene, Oregon, finishing third in the U.S. seated discus throw.

Talking to the media, Conwell revealed the unknown aspect of his life, “Some of them have made the comment: dude, I never thought I’d see you on this aspect of life, you’re a pro athlete, kicking butt with the best of them. This was the Super Bowl for track and field, both on the able-bodied side and the disability side.

Conwell’s achievements prove that life may knock you down to the point of no return, but even in those darkest moments, a door will appear that can change your world; you just have to stand up and walk through it. Now, after earning all of his medals, Conwell’s next target is to get selected in Team USA for the 2028 Paralympics in L.A. Last year, Conwell couldn’t make it to the competition as he missed the qualification mark by mere two centimeters but now, he is all in on getting it.

Brian Conwell’s next big step is nothing but Paralympics

Once a bedridden veteran, Brian ‘Big Country’ Conwell has transformed his life to become a rising star in para-sports, now aiming to make Team USA for the 2028 Paralympics in L.A., fueled by the resilience he honed in the Army. Talking to the media, he stated, “I’m not gonna let anything hold me back. I’m not gonna let anything get in my mind, take me back to that dark place where I thought I was worthless. Just like being an NCO in the Army, my soldiers out here still need a leader, so I use those leadership skills I learned in training other adaptive sport athletes.”

Unlike many who see their disability as a setback, Conwell views it as a superpower, turning adversity into strength: “Disability can be a superpower to live your best life. You just gotta be willing to get comfortable being uncomfortable.” In addition to his Paralympic dreams, he has another venture that keeps him occupied. He created the nonprofit “Veteran’s Battlegrounds” to help other disabled vets live a fit lifestyle together.

From spearheading a nonprofit to celebrating the debut of The Rise of SGT. Big Country, a gripping documentary that brings his incredible journey to the big screen. Well, his journey has just yet started in the sport, and he has miles to go before he rests again.