A High-Flying Career, Suddenly Grounded
Fort Carson SRU: Rising Above . . . Finding a Way! (2007-2027) This is the third in a series of feature articles on the amazing Soldiers who have walked through the doors of the Fort Carson Soldier Recovery Unit and found success in their transition back to the force or civilian life. The series highlights the courage, perseverance, and resilience of those who have faced life-changing illnesses and injuries and found meaning and purpose as they continue to write the next chapter of their life story. These Soldiers, and the cadre and staff who supported them, leave an enduring legacy for good.
- Featured Soldier: Staff Sgt. Michael Murphy
- Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico
- MOS: 15W, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operator
By Lt. Col Matthew Clark, Commander, Fort Carson Soldier Recovery Unit
A High-Flying Career, Suddenly Grounded For Staff Sgt. Michael Murphy, who enlisted in 2011, the Army was a calling. Despite having what he jokingly called a "nerd MOS" flying drones, Murphy embraced a "Soldier first" mentality. Over the course of nearly 10 years he served with the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and then with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson. During that time, he took advantage of opportunities to do out of the ordinary training for an Unmanned Aerial Systems Operator, to include completing Pre-Ranger course twice. He served as a dedicated NCO, taking care of his Soldiers, and deploying to Kuwait and Europe. It was there that he ultimately found himself in Volos, Greece, teaching Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) with Apache helicopters.
In December 2018, everything came to a devastating halt.
While in Greece, Murphy was involved in a vehicle accident on the airfield. He sustained a head injury that triggered a rapid and rare eye disease known as LHON (Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy). The trauma caused swelling that essentially severed his optic nerves.
"I lost about 80% of my sight," Murphy recalled. "Central vision in both eyes is gone."
He initially didn't realize the severity until he went home for Christmas R&R and failed a routine eye exam. When his peripheral vision was blocked during the test, his world went entirely dark.
After being sent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany, and eventually back to Fort Carson, the reality of his permanent vision loss set in. Confined to his house and stripped of his independence, Murphy fell into a dark place. He struggled deeply with severe depression, the sudden loss of his identity as an NCO, and found himself leaning on alcohol to cope.
The loss of his identity took a heavy toll.
"I was getting smashed every day. Mentally, at the time, it felt like my life was over, and I got to the point where I didn't want to live."
The Turning Point: Finding New Purpose at the SRU In January 2020, Murphy was accepted into the Fort Carson Soldier Recovery Unit. Initially hesitant, due to old stigmas, he quickly realized it was exactly where he needed to be. His squad leaders stepped in immediately to help him regain a routine, picking him up for work and restoring his sense of brotherhood.
"I was in a pretty dark spot, but you're able to just mend with other people going through similar crappy situations," Murphy said, recalling how one of his squad leaders, who was on crutches for a knee injury, joked with him:"You be my legs, and I'll be your eyes."
But the true turning point came during his initial physical evaluation. Assuming his physical life was over because of his eyes, Murphy was surprised when the rehab specialist asked him to do a push-up. He was then introduced to the Warrior Games, an adaptive sports competition for wounded, ill, and injured service members.
From that moment on, Murphy became a total "yes man" for adaptive sports. It gave him a brand-new outlet and a mission when he thought his life was completely over.
"For me, I was at the point where I was hopeless ... but knowing that 'Hey, I can still do something' was amazing," Murphy said.
Ultimately, he credits his faith in God, the support of his family, and the brotherhood of the Army for pulling him out of the darkness, setting the foundation for what would come next.
An Unlikely Lifeline: Faith and the Tandem Bike One person fundamentally changed Murphy's trajectory: Mark Cadapan, the civilian Recovery Care Coordinator and Adaptive Sports lead at the SRU.
Cadapan introduced Murphy to tandem cycling. Previously a runner who playfully mocked cyclists in tight suits, Murphy had to battle his own pride. On a tandem bike, the blind rider sits directly behind the pilot, requiring absolute trust. Cadapan took on that pilot role.
"It completely shifted my perspective," Murphy said. "Imagine being on a tandem bike with zero vision—putting 100% of your trust in another human being. That experience broke down my pride and rebuilt my ability to trust others again."
The two also bonded over their shared faith, which provided Murphy with a deeper spiritual anchor and hope during his physical recovery. Cadapan invested immense personal effort to restore Murphy's sense of purpose, piloting him through unbelievable rides – including cycling up Pikes Peak and Cottonwood Pass, and participating in major events like Ride the Rockies.
"The amount of effort he put in every day … he didn't have to. He just did it from the bottom of his heart," Murphy reflects. "Knowing that my life was in that guy's hands made me realize there is a sense of hope. It gave me a new purpose."
Murphy went on to proudly represent Team USA in the Invictus Games in The Hague, Netherlands, in 2022, participating in track and field, swimming, cycling, and rowing. He earned several medals and received the Jaguar Spirit of the Games Award alongside his guide for the 1,500-meter race. That same year, he competed in the Department of Defense Warrior Games, bringing home a total of 13 medals for Team Army, most of which were gold. These experiences served as the launchpad for his next chapter.
Pedaling Toward the Future Following his medical retirement from the Army, Murphy hasn't just survived his transition – he is thriving. Today, he balances his time training with the ultimate goal of competing in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, alongside his pursuit of a college degree and working at a local bike shop. He recently celebrated an important milestone, as he was selected to represent Team USA at the UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships in the Netherlands on October 29-30, 2026.
More importantly, he has found a new way to lead. He partners with several organizations, to include the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colo., the Steamboat Springs STARS program, and BASH – Blind Adaptive Sports Heroes. With these organizations, he now guides and mentors other wounded, blind, and disabled veterans, leaning on his faith, his journey, and adaptive sports to show them that a catastrophic injury is not the end of the road.
“The biggest takeaway from these trips, however, is not necessarily the activities themselves,” Murphy said. “It is the camaraderie, brotherhood, and sense of belonging that come from being surrounded by people who understand what you have been through.
"My main mission is truly just sharing my story, my testimony, and helping anybody that's in a dark spot," Murphy says. "To show them that there's more to life than just what you had before. Life's not over … keep going."
The Legacy of the Fort Carson SRU The Fort Carson SRU opened its doors on June 2, 2007, as one of 45 Warrior Transition Units stood up during the peak of catastrophic casualties from the Global War on Terror. Today, Fort Carson is one of 14 remaining Soldier Recovery Units that have served and supported the Army’s wounded, ill and injured Soldiers for almost two decades. Due to the continued decrease in demand and increasing capability to remotely manage less complex medical cases, Fort Carson along with 9 other SRUs will close in 2027.
The Fort Carson SRU has served more than 4,500 Soldiers in Recovery. Almost 500 Soldiers have returned to Active Duty and continued to serve, with another 600 Reservists and National Guard members returning to their units. Another 3,300 have transitioned to civilian life.
Editor’s Note: This article was written with the assistance of AI, and thoroughly edited, verified and finalized by the author.
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