John Peck (sergeant)
{{Infobox military person
| image = President Donald J. Trump welcomes retired U.S. Marine Sgt. John Peck back to the Oval Office (32905063307) (cropped).jpg
| image_size = 200px
| birth_name = John Peck
| allegiance = United States
| branch = United States Marine Corps
| rank = Sergeant
| unit = 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines
| battles = {{ubl| Iraq War | War in Afghanistan}}
| awards = Purple Heart (x2)
}}
John Peck is an American Marine sergeant who lost both his legs and arms during a mission in Afghanistan in 2010. He lost both legs and one arm when an Improvised explosive device he stepped on exploded; while recovering in the hospital, an infection forced amputation of his remaining arm. He successfully underwent a ground-breaking bilateral arm transplant in August 2016.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/john-peck-c5-barcroft-1202589519/|title=U.S. Marine Sergeant John Peck To Be The Subject Of Barcroft-Produced Doc For Viacom's Channel 5|first1=Peter|last1=White|date=April 6, 2019}}
Career
= Military =
John Peck was awarded the Purple Heart on two occasions; first for serious injuries sustained in Iraq, and again when he was catastrophically wounded in Afghanistan. He suffered a traumatic brain injury when an IED exploded underneath his truck in Iraq in 2007, leaving him with a lengthy recovery period. In 2010, Peck re-enlisted in the Marine Corps and deployed to Afghanistan.{{Cite web |title='I've Emerged as a Stronger and More Empathetic Human Being' |url=https://vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2022/5/ive-emerged-as-a-stronger-and-more-empathetic-human-being |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=vfw.org |language=en}}
In May of 2010, an IED explosion resulted in the loss of both of Peck’s legs and one of his arms.{{Cite web |last=Shane III |first=Leo |date=2021-08-25 |title=Despite catastrophic injury, Veteran of the Year John Peck has persevered — and inspired |url=https://www.militarytimes.com/military-honor/smoy/2021/08/25/despite-catastrophic-injury-veteran-of-the-year-john-peck-has-persevered-and-inspired/ |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=Military Times |language=en}} Infection led to the amputation of his remaining arm, making him the third surviving quadruple-amputee from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.{{Cite web |title=John Peck, Bilateral Arm Transplant - Brigham and Women's Hospital |url=https://www.brighamandwomens.org/about-bwh/newsroom/arm-hand-transplant-peck |website=www.brighamandwomens.org}}
In August of 2016, after two years on the waiting list, John underwent a 14-hour, double arm transplant surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.{{Cite web |title=Marine vet who received double arm transplant to deliver 1st pitch at Boulders game |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/clarkstown/2018/06/22/barry-fixler-marine-double-arm-transplant-rockland-boulders/715560002/ |website=lohud.com}} He is the second quadruple-amputee from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to get a double arm transplant.
= Post military =
Peck wrote a book, Rebuilding Sergeant Peck: How I Put Body and Soul Back Together After Afghanistan, that was released on May 7, 2019. Also a documentary was made about him.{{Cite web|url=https://coffeeordie.com/marine-john-peck/|title=How One Marine Lost His Limbs and Rebuilt His Life|date=June 24, 2019}}
In 2021, Our Life released a documentary, The Man with Another Man's Arms, following Peck's recovery from bilateral arm transplant on YouTube.{{Citation |title=The Man With Another Mans Arms {{!}} Our Life | date=2 July 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv-fg3zbEQQ |language=en |access-date=2022-04-13}} The video received over 5,000,000 views within its first year. He was also named Military Times Veteran of the Year for 2021.{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/human-interest/marine-receives-double-arm-transplant-hold-fiancees-hand/ |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=PEOPLE.com |title=Marine Who Lost All Four Limbs Receives Double Arm Transplant So He Could Hold Fiancée's Hand |language=en}}
Bibliography
- Rebuilding Sergeant Peck: How I Put Body and Soul Back Together After Afghanistan. Skyhorse Publishing, 2019. {{Isbn|1510740651}}
References
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Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
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