Fire In My Eyes by DEVIN EVENSON

#2 Trying out for a Swim Team

evensdev000 — 2024-02-07 06:16:47 UTC

When Brad first started practice for his swim team when he was young, his team was not very good. However, his Dad gave him the advice to start to work hard everyday no matter what anyone said.

Quote 1

"I started making progess. Striving to continually improve then became almost addictive in nature"(11).

MLA Citation

evensdev000 — 2024-02-07 06:17:30 UTC

Snyder, Brad, and Tom Sileo. Fire in My Eyes: An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory. Perseus Books, 2016.

#3- Joining the Naval Academy

evensdev000 — 2024-02-07 06:36:17 UTC

When he was 17 years old in high school, he loved the Navy. One day he got an envelope that asked him if he wants to join the Navy. Shortly afterwards, he announced to his friends and family that he was joining the Naval Academy and was mentally preparing for the Navy.

Quote 2

"Every day for three months. I worked out even harder than I was already training as a swimmer"(15).

#4-Becoming the swim team captain

evensdev000 — 2024-02-23 05:07:55 UTC

Synders' high school teammates wanted him to be swim team captain because he was the most confident and best on the team. At the time he was thinking about quitting the swim team, but the thought of him becoming team captain encouraged him to stick with the team.

Quote 3

"They had chosen me as their leader, and I couldn't let them down"(21).

#5- Becoming the new Naval platoon commander

evensdev000 — 2024-02-23 05:12:53 UTC

After high school, he joined the Naval Academy. One morning he got the really good news that he was going to be the new platoon commander, but he didnt feel worthy enough. He knew he had big shoes to fill.

Quote 4

"Needless to say, he left tremendously big shoes to fill, and I didnt' feel worthy"(44).

#6-Saying goodbye to family before going to war

evensdev000 — 2024-02-23 05:16:45 UTC

He went to his family's house to say goodbye and to get encouragement from all of his family. His dad gave him advice that was inspirational to him.

Quote 5

"Dont be a hero, he said. You just come back . . . you hear me"(47).

#7-Deploying for the war in Iraq

evensdev000 — 2024-02-23 05:20:58 UTC

In October 2008, he was deployed to the war in Iraq. He was scared and very nervous about the bullets whizzing past him. He was always thinking ahead to how he was best going to lead his team.

Quote 6

"Would I be crippled by fear, or would I be able to rise to the occasion and lead my troops"(51).

#8- Ex-girlfriend Tara welcoming Synder home

evensdev000 — 2024-02-26 07:44:07 UTC

After Synder came back, he decided to go catch up with his ex-girlfriend that he had stayed in touch with over time. They had a nice talk with each other.

#9- Tyler J. Trahan made the ultimate sacrifice on April 30, 2009

evensdev000 — 2024-02-26 07:48:55 UTC

Synder got a call from one of his friends, Caleigh, that seemed to go well, but at the end of the call he informed Synder with the news that his best friend, Tyler J. Trahan had died from a roadside bomb.

Quote 7

"Tyler was killed in Iraq yesterday, Caleigh quietly replied. We just found out this morning"(68).

#11- Meeting a Dog

evensdev000 — 2024-03-17 03:26:04 UTC

Synder was thinking about a good dream he had had recently until he felt a nudge that made him go back to reality. Then he saw a MPC, (multi purpose canine) German Shepard named Max.

Quote 9

"Max was a trained attacked dog"(109).

#12-Interrogating a Man

evensdev000 — 2024-03-17 03:44:37 UTC

He was with his platoon discovering a new town area. They came upon on a sleeping man that they though may have some important details. They woke up the man and asked for details around the area.

Quote 10

"When Ray checked with the interpreter and the group interrogating the man"(115).

#10- Getting a DUI

evensdev000 — 2024-03-18 06:29:51 UTC

Synder vaguely remembers the street lights looking funky and when he woke up he felt cold steel hand cuffs on him. The police officer told him that he was being arrested for a DUI.

Quote 8

"I had all but thrown away a life and career that I had spent nearly a decade building"(83).

#13- Osama Bin Laden's Death

evensdev000 — 2024-03-18 06:37:11 UTC

At nighttime they heard news that Osama Bin Laden died but they went to go check it out on their computers that had trouble connecting to internet to see if the news they were being told was truthful. After a while they found that it was true, that Bin Laden had been killed. They also figured out that he died 200 miles away in Pakistan.

#14- Finding out about his Dads death

evensdev000 — 2024-03-18 06:39:04 UTC

Synder was in his room changing when his boss came in the room. Brad's boss told him that he had unfortunate news, he told him that his dad had passed away. All the emotions started to kick in and all he wanted to do was cry, but he called his mom to see if he needed to come home.

#15- Going to the Hospital

evensdev000 — 2024-04-01 04:25:03 UTC

One day Synder was walking and stepped on a land mine. He got severly injured and went to the hospital with all of his family around him. They played games for a while and he got news that the last major surgery is going to affect both of his eyes. He was going to have less than 1% of being able to see light in his right eye. Then everyone realized he will probably be blind the rest of his life

#16- Trying a local 5K race

evensdev000 — 2024-04-02 05:27:34 UTC

One day this girl named Lindsey suggested that Synder try to find a new hobby outside and he decided to try running. He started training to run a 5K race with his friend Lindsey. Once the race started, he felt like he was doing amazing but he asked Lindsey "How many people are behind us?" she responded, "Don't worry about it." Then Lindsey saw his Mom and they ran over to her. Synder realized that he was towards the end of the group of runners and asked his Mom to finish the race with him. His mom finished the last quarter mile of the 2011 Creaky Bones 5K with Synder.

#17- Hearing about the Paralympic Games

evensdev000 — 2024-04-02 05:32:26 UTC

When Synder met up with his friend Rich, he explained to Synder all about the Paralympics, which is a modeled after the Olympic games and is different from the Special Olympics. The Special Olympics features athletes with physical disabilities like missing limbs or blindness but Rich told Synder that he would be more eligible to compete in the Paralympics. The next event for the Paralympic Games was set for London in 2012.

#18- Invited to throw out the first pitch at a home game against the New York Yankees

evensdev000 — 2024-04-02 05:34:36 UTC

Before the special game Snyder started to practice his throws for a few hours with his friend Bob. He had one issue, he didn't want to end up on SportsCenter's funniest moments. People started to cheer for him to throw the first pitch and his sister told him to just to throw the ball. She told him that he threw over the plate and he was so excited.

Outside source 4

evensdev000 — 2024-04-02 05:38:51 UTC

Brad Synder being able to throw the first pitch at the Baltimore Orioles game vs the New York Yankees

#19- Winning the gold medal at the Paralympic games in London in 2012

evensdev000 — 2024-04-03 04:38:47 UTC

Brad Snyder completed the 400m freestyle race and got a Gold medal for winning it. He did this in front of a crowd of 18,000 people, including his family, friends and his community. Synders favorie part of winning the gold medal was him waving the fans for supporting him of what he has done.

#20- November 1, 2013 retiring from naval service

evensdev000 — 2024-04-03 04:45:54 UTC

Brad Synder's family gathered with him to annouce his retirement in the historic Memorial Hall in Annapolis. The Navy waved off his DUI and by doing this, it allowed him to get medically retired with honors. After this, he shared his favorite stories with the Navy and also shared the stories with his family that supported him from the beginning.

#1- Birth date

evensdev000 — 2024-04-03 05:08:36 UTC

Brad Synder was born on February 29, 1984 in Reno, Nevada. He used to live in the Weeki Wachee Springs Florida with his Grandparents.

Outside Source 5

evensdev000 — 2024-04-04 15:21:52 UTC

Information about Brad Synder achieving gold medals in his lifetime.

Outside Source 3

evensdev000 — 2024-04-04 15:29:17 UTC

Information about how he went to the hospital.

Outside Source 1

evensdev000 — 2024-04-04 15:41:27 UTC

Snyders best friend information about his death.

Outside source 2

evensdev000 — 2024-04-05 04:14:01 UTC

Hearing about Osama Bin Laden death.