SSG LUKE MURPHY

Tallahassee, FL

Mission Accomplished on Feb. 22, 2014

Army Staff Sergeant Luke Murphy was the Squad Leader of an 11 man Reconnaissance Team with the 187th Infantry Regiment, a component of the 101st Airborne Division, on his second deployment when he lost his right leg above the knee and severely injured his left leg in an explosively formed penetrator (EFP) blast in Sadr City, Iraq on April 25, 2006.

While leaving Sadr City after searching a landfill area, SSG Murphy was riding in the second vehicle when a bomb detonated after the vehicle’s bumper crossed a garage door opener laser. SSG Murphy’s right leg was traumatically amputated, and his left leg was severely injured in the blast.

SSG Murphy was transported to Landstuhl, Germany before returning stateside to Walter Reed Medical Center where he endured nearly thirty surgeries over a twelve-month period. Luke is grateful for the support he has received from the Tallahassee community.

Luke and his wife, Stephanie have two children, Rory and Hattie. A graduate of Florida State University, Luke enjoys attending FSU Football games and cheering on his alma mater. A Florida Real Estate Broker, and a nationally recognized motivational speaker, Luke currently works for Mid Florida Prosthetics and Orthotics, coordinating care for amputees and people with orthotic needs. Since moving into his home in February of 2014, Luke has become a partner at Southern Land Realty and coauthored a book “Blasted by Adversity.”

Luke is grateful to HFOT donors and supporters for giving him a home where he can rest and recover. “My home is truly the only place I can move freely and in total comfort. It has been a wonderful place to heal, grow and move forward. I will always be grateful to HFOT for building my home, which empowered me to rebuild my life,” he says.

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