SAN MARCOS, Calif. — Veteran's Day is Saturday, and CBS 8 has spent the week honoring those who served the nation.
In this Zevely Zone, I met a hero.
Retired Marine Corps Corporal Kionte Storey shared his story with me about going from the depths of depression to mountaintops. In 2010, Kionte and his fellow Marines entered a building in Afghanistan when an IED exploded.
"You know it felt like I was hit by a truck," said Kionte. He was one of the last people to walk through the building's front door yet, the bomb took his leg.
"I don't know how to say this in a pleasant way but better me than some people I know that I care about," said Kionte who told us PTSD and a deep depression followed.
"As I was recovering in the hospital, I like to describe it as I was wearing a mask, as I would go out to my appointments you know people would see me and they would probably say he is doing fine, he is happy, he was pleasant to be around but internally I was going through a lot questioning my existence not wanting to live," said Kionte.
Kionte started abusing pain medication.
"I knew I had to do something," said Kionte. So, the Marine quit the pills cold turkey and climbed Mount Vinson in Antarctica to take his life back.
"I started because it was more personal, I finished because it became something bigger than myself," said Kionte who told us he has several military friends who committed suicide which is why Kionte also conquered Mount Kilimanjaro to honor the fallen.
Kionte joined the United States Marine Corps in 2007. It was during his second deployment in Afghanistan when he stepped on the IED. He was medevacked off the scene after losing a leg in the blast. Kionte eventually returned to the Navy Medical Center of San Diego to begin his rehabilitation journey. When Kionte was recovering in the hospital, sports and athletics became a large part of his recovery process. During this time, Semper Fi & America's Fund reached out to Kionte to offer their support. They provided the tools and equipment to compete at a high level. He has since competed in the Invictus Games.
Kionte overcame this emotional hurdle by becoming more active and now enjoys testing his physical abilities by running, hiking, rowing, and weightlifting. He has become an avid mountain climber and conquered Mount Kilimanjaro, one of the seven summits around the globe. He has completed the Marine Corps Marathon, the Invictus Games, several half marathons, and competed in track and field events during the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics Nationals.
Kionte wants to thank the Semper Fi & America's Fund for believing in him. "Simply living in San Diego is because of them, they helped me with my first home, they helped me get a vehicle after my injury," said Kionte. They also helped Kionte receive his service dog Koja. "He's everything to me, he's helped me socialize," said Kionte. Years later, this hero says he's still glad he's the one who stepped on the bomb. "I do feel that way. I guess if I have to take the brunt of anything I would easily do that," said Kionte. "I would like to believe that they would have done the same for me."
To support veterans like Kionte, the twelfth annual Double Down for Veterans Match Campaign is happening from now until the end of the year. The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and PXG will match every donation made to Semper Fi & America’s Fund up to $10 million.
Kionte will graduate from California State University San Marcos this winter. He plans to become a physical therapist. For more information on the Semper Fi & America's Fund click here.