Apr 8, 2008 7:31 pm US/Eastern
Injured Marine Makes "Warrior Dive" In Key Largo
KEY LARGO (CBS4) ―
Parrotfish and eels and sharks – oh my.
A 22-year old Marine who lost his leg in Iraq used a special prosthesis to go scuba diving in Key Largo.
Jeremy Stengel, of Waterford, Wisconsin, is part of a group of 15 soldiers with war-related injuries who participated in "Warrior Dive." The event was organized by the International Association for Handicapped Divers in conjunction with Ocean Divers, a Key Largo dive shop and other Keys businesses.
"This was my first day really diving, seeing all the sea life," Stengel said Monday afternoon. "It was amazing"
For the dive, Stengel used a specially designed prosthesis which is more waterproof than the one he uses on land. It also features a button to simulate plantar flexion, the angle between the leg and foot that is used when kicking with fins underwater.
Stengel lost his leg last year while on a sweep for improvised explosive devices. It was during his second tour on the war front. He served eight months in Afghanistan and six months in Iraq.
Once a competitive athlete in football, basketball, golf, and tennis, he found his first dive to be a challenge he thinks he can out do.
"If I can scuba dive in the Florida Keys, there's no limit," he said.
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