SSgt Bryce Cherryholmes, USMC (Ret), served faithfully for eight years in the United States Marine Corps. During his first deployment, Cherryholmes incurred an initial back injury that became much worse over time. Due to the back injury and subsequent surgery, he received a full medical retirement and was Retired from Active Duty. After retiring, SSgt Cherryholmes underwent spinal cord surgery which unfortunately, due to complications, left him paralyzed. Today, he serves as an Ambassador for the national veteran-focused nonprofit SoldierStrong, co-founded and currently chaired by Chris Meek, where he travels across the country to educate and advocate for the use of robotic exoskeletons to assist those with Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders and to share SoldierStrong’s mission. Throughout the hour, Bryce will share his incredible stories of service, how the work he is doing on behalf of SoldierStrong has a direct positive impact on fellow post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones, as well as why he believes compassion, giving back and the power of overcoming are attributes that should drive each individual’s everyday lives.
About the Author: Chris Meek
Dr. Chris Meek is an American philanthropist and finance officer. Meek is the co-founder and chairman of SoldierStrong, a charitable organization which provides support for U.S. service members and veterans. He is also the co-founder and chairman of START Now!, a non-profit which provides foreclosure counseling to homeowners, as well as senior director of global relationship management at S&P Global and a member of the Maxwell Advisory Board at Syracuse University.