JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) - On Nov. 1, Levi Crawford will mark the first time he has participated in the New York City Marathon. The Army veteran was motivated to enter five years ago, shortly after being injured in Afghanistan.
“After I was hurt, I began participating with the Long Beach Waterfront Warriors and met a guy who ran in the New York City Marathon,” Crawford said. “He gave me his medal. I said I could not take it, but he said, ’Get better and we’ll run one together. Once you get yours, I’ll take mine back.’ It went from there.”
Crawford, 28, of Jonesboro, joined the Army National Guard at age 17. The Valley View graduate headed to boot camp soon after graduation. He was later deployed with the 875th Engineer Battalion, which is headquartered in Jonesboro.
“I’ve always wanted to do something to be proud of,” he said. “My job was lead gunner or lead TC - the person in charge of that truck. It was the best time of my life, hands down.”
A member of the 1037th Route Clearance Company, Crawford, whose job was to look for improvised explosive devices, served in Iraq from 2006-07. He was deployed in Afghanistan when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the truck he was in during a May 20, 2010, ambush, The Jonesboro Sun reported.
Crawford was hit by scrap metal in his face, arms and legs. It severely injured his right arm and caused blindness in his left eye and some nerve and muscle injuries. He also had to relearn how to walk.
“When it gets taken from you, you appreciate it more,” he responded when asked about the healing process.
He remained at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. for a year. He said it allowed him to meet different military nonprofits, including the Long Beach Waterfront Warriors.
The Long Beach, New York -based nonprofit invites wounded veterans from Walter Reed and elsewhere to New York for a short respite. Crawford visited in late 2010.
While the trip was great, he said the best part were the members - such as Gene - who kept in touch afterward. They continued to check on him and became real friends. It spurred Crawford to become active in similar organizations.
“Something good comes out of everything,” he said. “I miss the military, but I also enjoy doing stuff for nonprofits like Beck PRIDE (Center at Arkansas State University).”
Crawford, who will marry his fiancée, Casi, on Dec. 19, is currently doing communication studies at Arkansas State. He picked the major after being asked to speak at various nonprofit fund raisers for veterans.
While his future career is still unclear, Crawford said he plans to continue to do his part to make the world better by working with nonprofits, primarily those associated with veterans in Arkansas, Colorado, the District of Columbia and South Dakota.
“The injury pushed me this way,” he added. “I wouldn’t be here if I had not gotten hurt. I would still be in the military and that would have been great because I love the military. But, I feel I am making a difference.
“I feel like I can’t do enough.”
While he is still in the planning stage, Crawford plans to turn his first NYC Marathon into an awareness campaign and fundraiser to help other wounded veterans.
Crawford, who was still struggling to walk at the time, can still recall the day Gene presented him the marathon medal. He recalled saying he did not care if he walked, ran or was dragged down the course. He would cross the finish line himself and return Gene’s medal.
However, Crawford said it was spur of the moment that he entered this year and secured a spot through the marathon’s lottery system. Gene is still trying to get in.
“I take care of myself. I go to the gym, but I was not hardcore marathon training until recently. Whether it takes five hours or five days, I plan to cross the finish line,” he added. “I’ll run it by myself, but I’d prefer to have him there because it would complete the story.”
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Information from: The Jonesboro Sun, https://www.jonesborosun.com
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