APB's Jeff Bauman: The Boston Marathon Bombing Survivor’s Road to Mental & Physical Wellness
12 Sep 2017
APB speaker Jeff Bauman was only standing feet away from one of the bombs at the 2013 Boston Marathon. As a result, both of his legs were amputated above the knee. The new, highly anticipated movie Stronger tells the story of his recovery.
Those wounded by traumatic experiences are subject to physical and emotional pain. Events like the one Bauman lived through happen throughout the world, but the stories of how victims heal and become whole again are not often told on a public stage. In the movie Stronger, Bauman is played by award-winning actor Jake Gyllenhaal. The two spent extensive amounts of time together, which opened Gyllenhaal up to the truth about recovery. Bauman’s experience was at times dark, but humor became part of the healing process. Gyllenhaal also learned how long the road to recovery truly is, which included physical rehabilitation, treating and taking care of amputation wounds and preparing oneself for the physical exhaustion of finally using new prosthetics.
Jeff Bauman’s story provides a unique perspective on recovery. Through his inspiring keynotes, audiences learn not only about the physical pain that accompanies trauma, but also the mental suffering that is a product of such tragedy.