DAV Magazine — July/August 2017
Creating New Purpose
National Commander Dave Riley, a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, and quadruple amputee know a thing or two about reinvention after he lost his limbs to a rare bacterial infection during service. He invited cameras into his woodworking shop in Alabama for a look at how he transforms old, discarded wood into handcrafted works of art— a process he likens to the profound changes disabled veterans undergo as they begin rebuilding their lives.
Above: Riley shows off his woodworking trademark—a brand reading “Hook made by Dave Riley.” A quadruple amputee since 1997, Riley has taken to woodworking in his home workshop in Semmes, Ala., as a hobby in the aftermath of his amputations. “Rather than focus on recovering what [disabled veterans] lost, we can often create something new,” he said.
Right: National Commander Dave Riley amassed a large collection of unwanted, discarded wood that he now uses to create handmade gifts in his home workshop—specially outfitted to accommodate his prosthetic devices.
Top: Riley uses a wire brush to clean a piece of wood in his home workshop in Alabama. “When I found this wood, it was used, broken and discarded,” Riley explained. “But with a little work, I was able to transform it into something beautiful with a purpose.”
Left: As a quadruple amputee, Riley has had to adapt some of the tools in his workshop and come up with unique methods for his hobby. “Woodworking as an amputee isn’t as simplistic as it would be if I had all my limbs, but there’s always a workaround,” Riley explained. “One of the pluses is I don’t have to worry about losing a finger.” Riley uses a soldering iron to brand the bottom of a box.
Below: Riley’s handcrafted boxes, a symbol of the resilience and transformative potential of injured and ill veterans, have become a treasured keepsake for many throughout his tenure as Commander.
Riley sits in his home workshop with one of the dozens of boxes he has made out of discarded wood. “No matter how hard you try to piece together the fragments of a previous life, there is no glue in this world that can restore it exactly as it was before,” he explained. “That’s why the work we do in the veteran community is so vitally important.”
Above: Riley shows off his woodworking trademark—a brand reading “Hook made by Dave Riley.” A quadruple amputee since 1997, Riley has taken to woodworking in his home workshop in Semmes, Ala., as a hobby in the aftermath of his amputations. “Rather than focus on recovering what [disabled veterans] lost, we can often create something new,” he said.
Right: National Commander Dave Riley amassed a large collection of unwanted, discarded wood that he now uses to create handmade gifts in his home workshop—specially outfitted to accommodate his prosthetic devices.
Top: Riley uses a wire brush to clean a piece of wood in his home workshop in Alabama. “When I found this wood, it was used, broken and discarded,” Riley explained. “But with a little work, I was able to transform it into something beautiful with a purpose.”
Left: As a quadruple amputee, Riley has had to adapt some of the tools in his workshop and come up with unique methods for his hobby. “Woodworking as an amputee isn’t as simplistic as it would be if I had all my limbs, but there’s always a workaround,” Riley explained. “One of the pluses is I don’t have to worry about losing a finger.” Riley uses a soldering iron to brand the bottom of a box.
Below: Riley’s handcrafted boxes, a symbol of the resilience and transformative potential of injured and ill veterans, have become a treasured keepsake for many throughout his tenure as Commander.
Riley sits in his home workshop with one of the dozens of boxes he has made out of discarded wood. “No matter how hard you try to piece together the fragments of a previous life, there is no glue in this world that can restore it exactly as it was before,” he explained. “That’s why the work we do in the veteran community is so vitally important.”
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