While FIFA, Wimbledon, and the Olympics continue to bear the flag for some of the most celebrated sports events of all time, disabled war veterans know who their Messiah is. The brainchild of UK royal Prince Harry and a ray of hope for many war heroes, the Invictus Games, has evidently been a recovery pathway for the wounded and injured servicemen worldwide who seek to rehabilitate their courage. The multi-sports Paralympic-style event has currently been in full swing as the yearly tournaments are about to unfold in Düsseldorf, Germany. 

With all the preparations for the much anticipated 2023 being in full swing, the emotions of the contents, past and present, are also at an all-time high. Forever empathizing with them firmly, Prince Harry, a war hero himself, has been a staunch supporter of the wounded servicemen of their countries. Expressing gratitude to the same, an Australian Navy veteran has made public his overwhelming love and respect for the Duke. 

Invictus gold medal winner of 2022, Steve James, during his on-stage discussion with the Prince at the Tokyo summit said, “I would like to thank Prince Harry for saving my life“. Further expressing his inspirational journey, he elaborated on how Invictus Games gifted him a new lease of life. “I needed Invictus, to teach me a very different approach to sport,” he said. The reason being, “It’s enabling, it helps the pain go away,” James added as reported by Forces.

As the event lauded the veteran, Prince Harry took the helm to further share his belief in the power of sports. 

Prince Harry on Power of Sports 

Its virtues go beyond classroom texts and knowledge. The duke emphasized the important principles that we acquire through sports. To name a few of those principles is teamwork that formed the backbone of any team. Having a dream and need for the community were essential marks of true sportsmanship for a sport to usher. 

Listening to it all was James, who was overwhelmed to be sharing the experience with the panel. The Australian former Navy officer suffered a fall at sea, which ultimately resulted in chronic pain and neurological challenges aggravated by mental health challenges. In the 2022 Invictus Games, which is soon to hit our screens as a Netflix docuseries, James competed in wheelchair basketball, indoor rowing, and wheelchair rugby, finally winning gold in the discus throw.

How do you feel about the experiences shared by the veteran?