Today, Toni is interviewing Mark Ormrod, a former Royal Marines commando and triple amputee, who shares his harrowing experience of surviving an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion on Christmas Eve during a routine patrol in Afghanistan. Mark recounts the moments leading up to the explosion, the immediate aftermath, and the heroic actions of his fellow soldiers that saved his life. Despite the traumatic events, Mark shares his story with composure and gratitude, highlighting the professionalism and bravery of his comrades. 

KEY TAKEAWAYS

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  Despite the traumatic experience, Mark chooses to view the day of the incident as a day of gratitude rather than resentment.

  
  


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  He highlights the professionalism and courage of the medics and fellow soldiers who acted swiftly and effectively to save his life.

  
  


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  Mark describes the experience as surreal, citing a detachment from the emotions associated with the event.

  
  


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  He initially found telling the story cathartic and therapeutic, leading to a career of sharing his experience for the benefit of others.

  
  

BEST MOMENTS

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I want to see if I've got what it takes physically and mentally to join the ranks of these elite men.\"\n\n- 00:16 :48-00:16:59 - \"Some people will say they found it easy. I think they're lying because it was hell on earth.\"\n\n- 00:21:15 - \"You've always been chasing the movie life.\"\n\n- 00:24:11 - \"That's what I imagined war to be. Be careful what you wish for.\"\n\n- 00:27:07 - \"I've spent the morning complaining because my water bottle leaked in my bag and it's a new laptop. And then my train was late, so I was like getting here and then the tube had to terminate and that kind of general shit. You must want to literally lamp people like me and be like, shut up, that's not pain.\"\n\n- 00:28 :29-00:28:40 - \"I am moaning about the day to day shit. I was in a bad mood because my water bottle leaked in my bag when in reality, even in my life, that's not the biggest thing.\"\n\n- 00:29 :59-00:30:09 - \"I prefer to look at it from the lens of gratitude.\"\n\n- 00:34:31 - \"So this is not in the most kind of perceived to be dangerous situation. This is, you know, a routine operation\"\n\n- 00:37:24 - \"both had been completely ripped off from their knees down.\"\n\n- 00:39:22 - \"You know, I was the one that had stepped on and detonated an improvised explosive device. And the reality was, it was highly likely that I was about to die.\"\n\n- 00:43 :00-00:43:10 - \"If I'm honest, I'm bored to tears of telling that story.\"\n\n- 00:46:11 - \"And it was wild. Like, I don't know what they had me on, what drugs. And I'm not an advocate of using drugs, but it was great.\"\n\n- 00:48 :53-00:49:03 - Initially. And then They seemed to do it for me, I think. Because what you've got to remember as well is, although I'm the one laying in the hospital bed, there's a lot more people affected by it, and they're all\n\n- 00:51:39 - \"Like he's capable therefore it's possible for me.\"\n\n- 00:53 :42-00:53:53 - \"I'll stand up, I'll walk and stand next to the lads I fought with, and I'll stand there and get my medal pinned to my chest, stood rather than sat.\"\n\n- 00:57:11 - \"With only one limb? It took me an hour and 45 minutes the first time I did it.\"\n\n- 00:59:18 - \"I think human beings are the happiest when they're moving towards a worthwhile goal.\"\n\n- 01:01:48 - \"That's a huge amount of self-belief.\"\n\n- 01:02 :43-01:02:53 - \"But that mindset is undoubtedly what's got you to where you are today, you know, achieving phenomenal, like physical feats that fully able-bodied people struggle with.\"\n\n- 01:05 :57-01:06:07 - \"You can only regret the things you've done, not the things you haven't.\"\n\n- 01:09:59 - \"I think that is the key through all of this. You didn't have to learn to walk with prosthetics.\"\n\n- 01:11 :34-01:11:44 - \"Are you happy? Yes. Yeah, yeah. No, I am. Absolutely.\""],"configuration":null,"prosemirror":[{"type":"rootblock","content":[{"type":"bulletList","content":[{"type":"listItem","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"00:02:03 - \"Damn it, you got me with the first question. 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