Specialist Christopher Lowe Recovering After Being Injured Saving Fellow Soldier

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Specialist Christopher "Kit" Lowe of the 108th Calvary Regiment has been honored with the Bronze Star for saving a fellow soldier's life and getting shot for his heroism. Now Lowe is living and recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

"There was a lot more damage than they expected, so they woke me up and said, 'We were only able to do this..' so I said, 'Then why did you even wake me up? Why didn't you cut off the leg and let me be normal?'" said Lowe.

Lowe saved his brigade's medic from a sniper's bullet, taking it in his own leg instead.

Normal for Lowe is just a stone's throw, or in his case a lacrosse ball throw away. It has become part of his daily routine, a personal form of therapy.

"A lot of people can get into a rut here, and be ok with the status quo. I'm like let's get out of here and do something," he said.

It seems simple, throw and catch, but for a man with a hole in his leg, and only one working nerve, he is struggling to get back the hand/eye/leg coordination he used to have on the field.

"That's why I come in here and throw as hard as possible. Figure I'll learn to get out of the way once I figure out it hurts," said Lowe.

His normal physical therapy has him running two miles a day -- albeit with a big brace -- and a slower pace than he'd like. But after spending time on the Walter Reed Campus, he's thankful for every small step.

"Here you see it up front and person, you see the amputees, the guys who are just torso really and that's hard... I was talking to a guy who is an amputee and after talking to him, I am not taking for granted what I have and I am appreciative," he said.

Lowe is appreciative of the time he has: time to recover, time to throw, and time to think about his future, which involves a return to school at Georgia Southern University, a return to his alma mater Benedictine to coach lacrosse, and even a return to the Army.

"I'll be back to doing infantry stuff by the time I'm 30. I've got 6 years to work on that one," he said.

The good news for Lowe is that he got feeling back in two toes the other day, ahead of schedule.

The next step in his recovery is driving. He is taking lessons on how to drive only with his left foot. Lowe said it's like being 15 all over again and getting excited for that first time behind the wheel by himself.