In 1994, Dana Bowman was a member of the U.S. Army Golden Knights skydiving team. During a routine training exercise over Yuma, Arizona the unthinkable happened. Dana and his partner were practicing a maneuver called the Diamond Track. With smoke, the two would etch out a diamond shape in the sky. As the two skydivers completed the bottom half of the "diamond" they collided in mid-air, with a combined speed of 300 mph. Both of Dana's legs were severed instantly and the impact claimed the life of his best friend and partner.
"In an instant my whole life was changed forever," Bowman remembers. Dana's left leg had been amputated below the knee and his right leg was amputated above the knee. His incredible attitude and determination were a key factor in his rehabilitation. In just 9 months following the accident, Dana had successfully re-enlisted back into the Army and became the first amputee member of the Golden Knights.
His proudest moment came during the opening ceremonies of the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Dana made his final skydive as a Golden Knight, landing in the middle Olympic Stadium with the crowd cheering!
Dana has since retired from the Army but continues to touch peoples lives through hundreds of speaking engagements, television programs, magazine and newspaper articles.
Dana contacted Hanger looking for new high tech prosthetics and specifically the Hanger ComfortFlexTM Socket System. A few weeks later, he was fit with new sockets with channels and grooves specifically designed to allow his muscles to fire as he walks. "At first the socket felt very different from the sockets I had in the past. It does take a bit of getting used to but after a couple of days of wearing it I knew I would have much better control over my prostheses," said Bowman. “I have to have a socket that is going to be a part of me because of the many activities I do. I can’t have my socket coming off during a skydive demonstration or while I am flying an aircraft. This socket is locked onto my body and is comfortable, that is the difference from other legs I have had in the past," he said.
Dana uses a variety of prosthetic components to allow him to lead an active life. For everyday use, he uses the Otto Bock C-Leg but has a conventional knee and foot he uses for water sports.
Dana keeps pushing the edge of the envelope. He has a private pilots license to fly single engine aircraft. He is certified to fly seaplanes. And, he is the only double leg amputee certified to fly helicopters and is also a helicopter instructor as well. Dana also enjoys scuba diving, bicycling, water skiing, snow skiing, riding snowmobiles, racing motorcycles and of course skydiving.
Dana has also met with numerous disabled soldiers that were injured in Iraq who now face a life with using prosthetic limbs. He encourages them with his motto, "It’s not the disability, it’s the ability that counts" and helps them to focus on the positive instead of the negative aspects of their situation.
You never know where you will see Dana Bowman next. He has been working on a number of television programs and public speaking engagements. You can visit Dana’s website for an updated list of scheduled appearances (www.danabowman.com).