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When Marine Corporal Evan Morgan speaks in Ridgecrest following the 9-11 Parade of 1000 Flags, he’ll
report on his own experiences in battle — and represent all veterans of his generation.
The 27-year-old wounded warrior will be this year’s keynote speaker following Ridgecrest’s third annual 9-
11 Parade of 1000 Flags slated for Saturday, September 11.
“I am always honored to be asked to participate in events like this one,” Morgan said. “To serve as the
keynote for this event has me feeling especially humbled, as the events of 9-11 left an indelible impact on my
mind, and my life in general.”
He said he plans to speak “about the impact of 9-11 on the patriotism of Americans. I will also talk of
enforcing its importance as a historical turning point for our country and commend the bravery of my
generation in volunteering for a military that they knew would be engaging in combat operations.”
Morgan enlisted in the Marine Corps following high school graduation in Colorado. He served two combat
deployments in Iraq from 2002 to 2006.
report on his own experiences in battle — and represent all veterans of his generation.
The 27-year-old wounded warrior will be this year’s keynote speaker following Ridgecrest’s third annual 9-
11 Parade of 1000 Flags slated for Saturday, September 11.
“I am always honored to be asked to participate in events like this one,” Morgan said. “To serve as the
keynote for this event has me feeling especially humbled, as the events of 9-11 left an indelible impact on my
mind, and my life in general.”
He said he plans to speak “about the impact of 9-11 on the patriotism of Americans. I will also talk of
enforcing its importance as a historical turning point for our country and commend the bravery of my
generation in volunteering for a military that they knew would be engaging in combat operations.”
Morgan enlisted in the Marine Corps following high school graduation in Colorado. He served two combat
deployments in Iraq from 2002 to 2006.
On New Year’s Day 2005, he was assigned to a Humvee convey guarding a tow truck headed out to
rescue a disabled supply truck in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.
His team arrived at its destination at around three in the afternoon, Morgan remembered, and after the
rendezvous with the supply truck, “The last thing I remember is we were driving away.”
Morgan sustained major injuries, losing both his legs and the sight in his right eye. His right arm and
several fingers were also shattered in the blast.
Since then he has received a Purple Heart, the Sempra Energy Trailblazer Award and the Paul Mitchell
Spirit Award from the Marine Corps.
The everyday life of freedom that most of us take for granted has changed radically for this Bakersfield
resident. Instead of scrambling to the call of Marine unit noises in the Middle East, these days he sees the
sunrise with Jillian, his wife of five years, and their three-year-old daughter, Sophie.
“Generally we all wake up with our little morning lark, before sunrise,” he said, “Then we kind of wind up
our day gradually.
“I am really a hands-on guy. I enjoy physical activities to be found in a good day of manual labor. So I now
work with various nonprofits such as the Wounded Heroes Fund and the Challenged Athletes Foun-dation,”
he said.
He finds that CAF and other like-minded nonprofits allow him to get other veterans involved in sports. He
still competes with CAF, although not as much as he did a few years back.
“I try to get in the gym every other day to lift weights and generally just stay active,” he said. “At my peak I
was racing triathlons basically as a job, traveling around the country. These days I am focused more on
swimming in the pool with my daughter than on swimming in the ocean with the sharks!”
He looks forward to his next event — the Volkslauf mud run. This Bakersfield event was dubbed “The
Ultimate Challenge” by the small group of Marines that organized the unusual charity run on a soggy field in
1997.
Physical challenges are not new to Morgan, who said his real passion with the Marines was always the
physical aspect. “That’s why I joined the Marines,” he said, “With that background and having experienced a
long period of forced inactivity, I just find it so important to stay active however I can. That’s something that I
really try to embody.”
Most days find Morgan keeping semi-busy by working on home-improvement projects within his limited
handyman capabilities. “I would liken my day to day to that of a retired person, which technically I am —
medically retired),” he said.
“I come from a family where I was fortunate to be exposed to a wide array of things from a young age, so I
am interested in a lot of different things,” he said. Still, all other activities aside, he loves to spend time with
his family and with friends.
Morgan is also busy as the head of the marketing subcommittee serving the board for the Wounded
Heroes Fund, a Bakersfield-based nonprofit. “I always try to represent that organization well,” he said.
Working in the Bakersfield office of U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the past year, Morgan was responsible for
outreach to local veterans, active-duty military personnel and military organizations throughout the 22nd
Congressional District.
“When you look for the spirit of America and the values that make this country great, you are going to find
them in Evan Morgan. He risked his life, lost his legs, but never lost his spirit for his country. Watch how he
gives back and how he engages. It will be a very uplifting time,” said McCarthy.
For more information about the organizations mentioned in this article, see the following websites:
Volkslauf “The Ultimate Challenge” www.volkslauf.com/ , Challenged Athletes Foundation
www.challengedathletes.org/ , and the Wounded Heroes Fund, Kern County Chapter
www.thewoundedheroesfund.org/
rescue a disabled supply truck in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.
His team arrived at its destination at around three in the afternoon, Morgan remembered, and after the
rendezvous with the supply truck, “The last thing I remember is we were driving away.”
Morgan sustained major injuries, losing both his legs and the sight in his right eye. His right arm and
several fingers were also shattered in the blast.
Since then he has received a Purple Heart, the Sempra Energy Trailblazer Award and the Paul Mitchell
Spirit Award from the Marine Corps.
The everyday life of freedom that most of us take for granted has changed radically for this Bakersfield
resident. Instead of scrambling to the call of Marine unit noises in the Middle East, these days he sees the
sunrise with Jillian, his wife of five years, and their three-year-old daughter, Sophie.
“Generally we all wake up with our little morning lark, before sunrise,” he said, “Then we kind of wind up
our day gradually.
“I am really a hands-on guy. I enjoy physical activities to be found in a good day of manual labor. So I now
work with various nonprofits such as the Wounded Heroes Fund and the Challenged Athletes Foun-dation,”
he said.
He finds that CAF and other like-minded nonprofits allow him to get other veterans involved in sports. He
still competes with CAF, although not as much as he did a few years back.
“I try to get in the gym every other day to lift weights and generally just stay active,” he said. “At my peak I
was racing triathlons basically as a job, traveling around the country. These days I am focused more on
swimming in the pool with my daughter than on swimming in the ocean with the sharks!”
He looks forward to his next event — the Volkslauf mud run. This Bakersfield event was dubbed “The
Ultimate Challenge” by the small group of Marines that organized the unusual charity run on a soggy field in
1997.
Physical challenges are not new to Morgan, who said his real passion with the Marines was always the
physical aspect. “That’s why I joined the Marines,” he said, “With that background and having experienced a
long period of forced inactivity, I just find it so important to stay active however I can. That’s something that I
really try to embody.”
Most days find Morgan keeping semi-busy by working on home-improvement projects within his limited
handyman capabilities. “I would liken my day to day to that of a retired person, which technically I am —
medically retired),” he said.
“I come from a family where I was fortunate to be exposed to a wide array of things from a young age, so I
am interested in a lot of different things,” he said. Still, all other activities aside, he loves to spend time with
his family and with friends.
Morgan is also busy as the head of the marketing subcommittee serving the board for the Wounded
Heroes Fund, a Bakersfield-based nonprofit. “I always try to represent that organization well,” he said.
Working in the Bakersfield office of U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy in the past year, Morgan was responsible for
outreach to local veterans, active-duty military personnel and military organizations throughout the 22nd
Congressional District.
“When you look for the spirit of America and the values that make this country great, you are going to find
them in Evan Morgan. He risked his life, lost his legs, but never lost his spirit for his country. Watch how he
gives back and how he engages. It will be a very uplifting time,” said McCarthy.
For more information about the organizations mentioned in this article, see the following websites:
Volkslauf “The Ultimate Challenge” www.volkslauf.com/ , Challenged Athletes Foundation
www.challengedathletes.org/ , and the Wounded Heroes Fund, Kern County Chapter
www.thewoundedheroesfund.org/
Wounded Marine to speak at 9-11 event
By ANN MARIE COUSINEAU
Special to the News Review
Special to the News Review
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| maintain an active lifestyle. ( click for larger image ) Courtesy photo |