SFC Chris Montera

New Braunfels, TX

Mission Accomplished on March 4, 2017

On March 16, 2012, during his fourth deployment, Army Sergeant First Class Christopher Montera was on a dismounted mission in Siah Choy, Afghanistan, with the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, when he was severely injured in an enemy mortar explosion. He suffered second and third-degree burns, a broken neck, broken legs, orbital fracture, lung damage, and a spinal cord injury.

Stateside, he underwent multiple surgeries at Brooke Army Medical Center, including the amputation of his legs above the knee and extensive skin grafting. In 2012, he was transferred to the Poly Trauma VA Hospital in Palo Alto and then to Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego for physical therapy.

Christopher and his wife, VI, who were married in 2018, have two children. Christopher hasn’t let his injuries prevent him from having an active lifestyle. He participates in wheelchair fencing and adaptive Crossfit. He is also an avid duck hunter. Despite his busy schedule, Christopher still faced challenges in his daily routine in his previous home. His specially adapted custom HFOT home with widened doorways and hallways, hardwood flooring, and a roll-in shower increased his mobility, enabling him to access every room in the single-level, barrier-free environment.

Christopher is grateful to HFOT supporters for the gift of a home that allows him to live independently. “An adapted home is the foundation to continued recovery, ” he says. “As one of many who are trying to regain a sense of purpose and direction in life, thank you for what your organization is doing for so many.”