Mast Shares Personal Message After Visit with Amputees in Israel

Representative Brian Mast (R-FL) shared a picture of himself with an Israeli amputee after visiting Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that left approximately 1,000 Israelis dead. Along with the picture, the Florida congressman provided a personal reflection regarding the trials and tribulations that he faced as an amputee while serving in the U.S. Military.

“When I lost my legs from an explosion in the Kandahar Valley, Afghanistan, I fell into a state of despair. I remember waking up in a bed in Walter Reed Hospital trying to make sense of what had happened. As a soldier, my career was over,” said Rep. Mast.

He continued, providing reasoning for his decision to work with those who have lost so much – mentally and physically.

“But during this tumultuous moment, my father was by my side to give me life-changing advice: do not let your best days of service be behind you … That is why I worked with an organization, The Next Step, to spread the message of hope to many new Israeli amputees, many of whom lost their limbs from Hamas’ indiscriminate bombings and shooting on October 7. These amputees - many of whom are civilians - woke up in hospital beds, and in despair. As an amputee myself, I know how that feels.”

Finally, Rep. Mast stated that he “had the chance to turn my despair into new opportunities.

“I also know how it feels to stand back up.  Whether standing on a new pair of legs or standing up for what I believe in, I had the chance to turn my despair into new opportunities. One such opportunity was to speak with these men and women - who are embarking on new life journeys - to inspire them with the same advice my father gave me: to never let their best days be behind them,” Mast said.

Additionally, another U.S. Representative from the state of Florida has done his part to provide aid to America’s biggest ally in the Middle East.

Two weeks after he helped evacuate 98 Americans out of war-torn Israel after the Hamas terrorist attack that killed approximately 1,000 Israelis, Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) flew to New York City to greet another 159 Americans he helped evacuate from Israel.

"I'm deeply honored and proud to announce the successful evacuation of 159 Americans from Israel. This included Americans who had been trapped for weeks and families from across the country, including Florida’s 7th District. It was a pleasure to be able to welcome everyone home! Thank you to Mercury One, Glenn Beck, and Never Forgotten for their support," stated Rep. Mills.

The Floridian first reported about Mills' initial trip to Israel to help rescue hundreds of Americans trapped in Israel.