They put their lives on the line for their country, but for many Canadian soldiers, the fight still continues long after they come back from war.
Some come home wounded, others face mental health problems like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
But the Invictus Games are there to help them triumph once again.
Coverage of the Invictus Games on Globalnews.ca:
The games are specifically for wounded war veterans, to use the power of adaptive sport to aid in their road to recovery.
The Invictus Games flag is now going coast-to-coast. It reached Kelowna on Monday night.
“The idea being, uniting Canadians to support our wounded warriors,” Invictus Games spokesperson Ivan Wanis-Ruiz said.
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Peachland resident Bettina Fuchs, who did several tours over her 25 years of service in the military, is competing in the games.
“I had multiple injuries, all over my body, but I also have PTSD,” Fuchs said.
“Invictus Games has got me back into the land of the living. It’s had a huge part in my recovery.”
The B.C. Dragoons were also on hand to show their support.
“All of us who’ve served recognize the amount of difficulty those people who are wounded have gone through,” Lt. Mike McGinty, commanding officer with the B.C. Dragoons said.
“I think it’s fantastic for us to see the opportunity to see their grit and determination and to see them really rising themselves and the rest of us up with the fantastic effort that they make.”
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Five-hundred and fifty athletes representing 17 countries will compete in the 12 adaptive sports at the games.
They’ll take place in Toronto from Sept. 23 to 30.