7/1/2013 – JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md — The cool breeze and darkening night slowly embraced the German landscape with a tender grip; all seems well in homes full of urban life, bustling about. However, events quickly turn tense when all sounds are interrupted by the clash of metal grinding asphalt; the sound of a motorcycle slamming the road.

This sound brought Airman 1st Class Clint Williams to participate in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Adaptive Sports Camp held at Joint Base Andrews on June 26 and 27. The camp hosted wounded warriors, helping them to heal sick and injured Airman.

Williams joined the Air Force right out of high school in Port O’Connor, Texas to become part of security forces. After 11 months of service, he faced potentially fatal injuries after a motorcycle accident on July 20, 2012, at Vogelweh Military Complex in Germany.

He was driving when his 96’ Virago locked up, which propelled him from his motorcycle into a tree. He had full protective gear, but still fell victim to the marriage of speed, force and a sudden stop.

“I flipped forward smashing head-first into a tree, causing my helmet to shatter and my body sustaining multiple injuries,” said Williams. “I had road rash on my lower back, injured my neck and left arm, broke or fractured every bone in my face and cracked the left side of my skull. I couldn’t chew food for three months.”

Williams was soon transported by ambulance to the hospital where doctors removed part of his skull, due to cranial swelling. Afterward, he was relocated to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, where he lay in a coma for 10 days; seven of those days on life support.

While in his coma, Williams’ family visited him and played his favorite song, “Seize the Day” by Avenged Sevenfold. Hearing his favorite band triggered something in the Airman. Once the music started playing, his fingers, toes and lips twitched. So began his road to recovery.

“They say you can still hear everything in a coma, so maybe I was hearing it and something just clicked,” said Williams. “Everyone was saying that’s what did it, so I’m not gonna take that away. Whatever it was, I’m gonna run with it.”

Happy to finally be awake, Williams’ excitement was short-lived as he began to understand the new set of physical challenges that came to accompany his journey back to normalcy.

“When I woke up, I couldn’t see out of my left eye for two weeks and was in the worst physical condition I’ve ever been in,” said Williams.

Once awoken from his coma, Williams was flown to Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, spending a month recovering before being released. He was required to almost constantly wear a protective helmet while waiting for a plate to be surgically installed in his head.

“I had much work to do getting back to the health and shape I was in before my accident, and still do, but the warrior games gave me good motivation to keep improving,” said Williams. “Out of all the physical therapy and support I received, the Wounded Warrior program and Adaptive Sports Camp helped me the most by pushing me to get stronger every day.”

The two-day camp included competitive opportunities in wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, archery, swimming, air rifle/pistol and track and field for Williams to take part in.

Williams has forged strong friendships through the Wounded Warrior program, but has gained the strongest bond with his 13 month old son, Jesse Aaron, through his recovery process. He now deems family to be more important than ever before, knowing that those moments shared are precious.

On his journey back to a normal lifestyle, Williams has not swayed from his passion for motorcycles. He now owns a 2013 Harley-Davidson and even still has the pants, boots and jacket from the day of the accident.

“That was my first vehicular accident ever, so that definitely was a new experience for me,” said Williams. “But I’m eager to get back on a bike. If it was a car wreck, I wouldn’t quit driving a car, so why would I quit driving a motorcycle?”

By spending the last 11 months in recovery and training in the Wounded Warriors program, Williams has been slowly pushing himself to get back into healthy and fit condition, ready to join security forces once again.

Airman 1st Class Clint Williams takes part in wheelchair basketball as part of the Wounded Warriors Adaptive Sports Camp at Joint Base Andrews on June 26. The wounded warriors could also participate in sitting volleyball, swimming, track and field, archery and air rifle/pistol. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Joshua R. M. Dewberry)

While waiting for his medical clearance to be finalized, Williams volunteers at the Wilford Hall Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. He helps out with anything the hospital needs and tends to his own needs as well.

Williams says he has physical scars from his accident, but one mark that will never truly leave him is the experience of almost losing his life.

“My gear protected me from suffering worse injuries or death. I wouldn’t be standing here if I wasn’t covered from head to toe,” said Williams. “If you buy safety gear, wear it for protection, not style.”

In his spare time, Williams spends most of his time with his family, playing guitar and exercising to get back into fighting shape.

He even had lyrics from his favorite song tattooed on his arm to remind him of the significance its role in his recovery process.

“This whole recovery process has definitely made me a stronger person,” said Williams. “I thought the wounded warrior program was for service members who were injured in combat, but it’s not. It’s for anyone who gets inured anywhere, and it’s meant to aid all roads to recovery.”

Portoconnorwatch.com, our own neighborhood watch program, is growing in membership each week. Do not be left out in receiving the latest in local security by email. When you become a member you will receive email information from the block captains via the web site on what is going on in our town. There is no charge for joining, only the opportunity to share what you see with our fellow neighbors. Be in the know and join.
With almost 100 neighbors now involved, the Calhoun Sheriffs Department has 100 more on patrol than they had this time last year. Crime is down in Port O Connor and it is up to us to keep it that way. To join just go to portoconnorwatch.com and click on the “join now” button and the web site will walk you through the process.

The Bloodmobile will be at the Port O’Connor Fire Station parking lot for a community blood drive to be held Monday, July 29, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Anyone who is 16 years old, weighing at least 120 pounds, (with a parental consent form) or at least 17 years old, weighing at least 110 pounds and in good general health can donate blood.

Donors must present photo ID, last four digits of their Social Security number and their birth dates.

Please come out and donate to help save lives. You never know when you might need it.

For more information, contact Lynn Rhodes, 361-655-2084.

Captain Ed receiving his Captain’s License from Capt. Robert of Sea Academy.

Captain Ed was born Edgar Lee Altman on January 2, 1930, to Minnie Ruth Sutton (Altman) and Edgar W. Altman in Aransas Pass. He was the oldest of three children: Allen, who has been deceased now for several years, and Dawn Ruth, who currently lives in California. Ed grew up in Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Carrizo Springs, and finally was graduated from Gregory-Portland High School. Ed’s childhood was always associated with the water and the outdoors, which included time during the early part of World War II years when Ed was a Boy Scout. In the late 1940’s, he worked in the oil field as a roustabout, but never got too far from the coast where he loved fishing and hunting. Finally, in 1951, Ed joined the Army and was trained as a mechanic for the infantry. He never spoke much of his time in the Army other than, “I did my bit,” but we knew that he served in Korea and was a Prisoner of War. After getting out of the Army, he took some machinist’s classes and worked locally until he joined the Air Force in 1957; he trained as a jet engine aircraft mechanic and was required to travel extensively. During this time, his eyes were injured in an explosion, which forced Ed out of the Air Force. He went right to work with Lockheed Aircraft Company. Although working for Lockheed was interesting and required a secret security clearance, he could not resist coming back to the Gulf. He left Lockheed and returned to Ingleside and worked on the shrimp boat he had purchased. He remained in Ingleside for several years, shrimping and oil painting as a hobby, but he also found a love for beekeeping. When the shrimping business became too hard to make a living, he switched careers to beekeeping, and acutally traveled to the Middle East teaching farmers and training beekeepers. Later he moved to Cuero, since it was close to family that lived in Yoakum, but still close to his true love – the Gulf Coast.

He never regretted the decision to return to the coast and chose Port O’Connor to make his home. The Gulf Coast and its people were always in his blood. One of his proudest moments was when on April 11, 2008, he received his Captain’s License, after passing the class held at Fisherman’s Chapel under the instruction of his good friend, Captain Robert. He got knocked off his flounder boat one night and had to tie himself to a houseboat to survive the night in the water, but he bounced back from that potential catastrophe. Often, when he was troubled, he would anchor his boat at one of the islands to rest and think, and was seen at various times, day or night, sitting alone praying at the Chapel.

Captain Ed was often blunt – like the time he hit a young man on his leg with his cane because the man was using foul language in front of ladies, but he would give people the shirt off his back when needed. He was also fiercely independent and self-sufficient, a trait which may have contributed to the accident which led to his death (a fall from high upon a ladder).
Captain Ed left planet earth and entered his Heavenly reward on June 29, 2013, at 83 years old.

Allen C. Altman, Captain Ed’s nephew (and source of the above information) wrote: “Thank you and all his friends for the good wishes we have received and your memories of my uncle. Ed would have appreciated them all.