Army Pfc. Jim Mayer in Vietnam in 1969. Roughly two months after his deployment began, Mayer sustained life-altering wounds from a land mine that resulted in the amputation of both of his legs below the knee. He went on to serve his fellow veterans for more than 30 years through the Department of Veterans Affairs. decision to mark the life-changing event with a “Thank eventually became known as “The Milkshake Man” for God I’m Alive” party every April 25. bringing trays full of milkshakes to wounded patients Mayer made good on his promise after spending who had just returned from the first Gulf War. His most of the following year recuperating at a military efforts there were even noted in a 2004 Doonesbury hospital in Texas. He spent his first Alive Day in comic strip. his parents’ backyard with people from his small Through it all, Mayer’s own Alive Day parties grew hometown in in size and Missouri who eventually “The first thing I said to my friend that had reached out became an reached me was ‘I’m going to live,’ to him while he event attended was recovering. by dozens of which was really bizarre because I had In 1972, the DAV members, really thought if I was blown up that bad family life member moved friends, that I would just end it. But it was just co-workers to Washington, D.C., as a veterans and wounded a 180. It was just will. I don’t even know lobbyist and took veterans he where it came from.” a position with had met and —Jim Mayer, Vietnam veteran the Department mentored— of Veterans Affairs, all of whom are where he served his fellow veterans in various undoubtedly happy Mayer was able to summon the will capacities from 1974 until his retirement in 2007. to face down life-altering injuries a half-century ago, In 1991, Mayer began volunteering at Walter Reed choosing to live and use his experience to inspire his Army Medical Center as an amputee peer visitor. He fellow veterans. ■ DAV.ORG | FACEBOOK.COM/DAV | @DAVHQ | DAVHQ 11