Mark Ormrod, award-winning author, coach, mentor, motivational speaker and sought-after ambassador, was born and raised in Plymouth, Devon and in 2001 realised his lifelong ambition of joining the Royal Marines.
On Christmas Eve 2007, whilst serving on operations in Afghanistan with 40 Commando Royal Marines, he was blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device, resulting in the traumatic amputation of both legs and his right arm and was twice pronounced dead.
Mark made a remarkable recovery and became the first triple amputee to survive on the battlefield. Having been told he would never walk again, he nevertheless marched onto parade on his new prosthetic limbs to be awarded his Operational Service Medal in the presence of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, just 14 weeks after incurring his injuries.
A remarkable physical, psychological and emotional achievement.
He remained in the Royal Marines for the next three years, working through his recovery pathway. He went on to work for the RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, successfully launching its new shop, before becoming a highly valued part of the Charity’s Membership team and establishing for it an enviable social media presence.
Mark never utters a single negative comment about his condition and continues to challenge himself – amongst a whole host of remarkable achievements, he continues to take part in numerous endurance challenges to raise awareness for wounded veterans, and has won numerous medals at the Invictus Games.
He is a tremendous Ambassador who has not allowed his disability to define him and who has motivated thousands of Royal Marines, and tens of thousands of others, to be all that they can be.