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Tomas Young was so much more than a T4 paraplegic. Paralyzed in 2004 after joining the military when he inspired by the events of 9/11, he was sent to Iraq, a country he didn’t believe was part of the fight. Sadly within days of arriving, he became a quadriplegic after being shot by a sniper. But his story didn’t end here.After returning home and completing rehabilitation, Young became one of the first vocal veteran antiwar activists. He went on to star in documentary, Body of War, directed by Phil Donahue. Read on for his story.
Why He Was fearless?
As a 21 year old, Tomas was rearing to go after 9/11 and wanted to help defeat the Taliban. After President Bush’s speech at Ground Zero, he signed up to join the military. But Tomas was sent to Iraq and not Afghanistan; a decision by the military that angered him.
After becoming paralyzed within days of being in Iraq, he was sent home for rehabilitation. Never fulfilling his desire to help defeat the Taliban, he became reflective on his time there and on war in general. Like so many injured veterans, his injury opened his eyes to the hidden agendas of war. Young quickly became an outspoken activist against the war in Iraq, and while struggling with health issues in 2005 (he suffered from severe chronic pain), he was sent to Walter Reed Hospital, which is where he met Phil Donohue, former ’80s talk show host turned film director.
Phil Donohue had dreamt of making a documentary about war. While touring with Ralph Nader in 2005, and then meeting Young, he was inspired to make a documentary about Young, calling it Body of War. They spent 4 years together gathering footage of Young’s life to craft the documentary. In 2007, Body of War premiered to high praise from critics. It was a crowd favorite at the Toronto Film Festival that year.
What Happened Next?
While the film was a great success and reached many people, Young’s health unfortunately became an issue. Struggling with intense pain, which can happen to people with spinal cord injuries, doctors were unable to treat him successfully.
By 2013, he decided to enter hospice vs traditional suicide so his family could say their goodbyes. But he changed his mind and wanted to live. He had just recently married and wanted to spend more time with his wife. Unfortunately, his body never fully healed and in November 2014, he passed away at his home in Seattle, Washington. He was an outspoken activist for medical marijuana as well and moved from Kansas City to Washington to access it.
Two years after Tomas’ passing, a biography about him was published in 2016 called Tomas Young’s War by Marco Wilkerson. The book includes excerpts from people who knew him best including his parents, his wife, and his friends, like celebrities like Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and Tom Morello.
RIP Tomas Young. You left a great mark on the world and you were taken away much too soon.
ideas@spinalpedia.com
