J. R. Salzman. American. Inspiration. Champion.

I remember reading about J.R. Salzman before he was injured in Iraq in 2006. The Six Time Logrolling Champion went to Iraq, spurred on by what we all saw on September 11, 2001, determined to make a difference. And he did. I found his story inspirational, and it made me grateful that such young men existed in our country. What makes our country great is not the things we can do, or the money we have, or even our history. It is quite simply, citizens like this. His attitude following his injuries is breath taking. Now, he’s just won his 7th championship

Just about everything from Dec. 19, 2006, when he was in the lead truck of a tanker convoy in northwest Baghdad, is lodged in Salzman’s mind. That includes what he thought when he realized he would not die: I’ve still got my legs. I can still logroll.

And that explained why Salzman cried when he won his seventh men’s logrolling title at the Lumberjack world championships on Sunday, his first with a prosthetic arm.

“It’s what I do,” he said in the quiet shadows after a lengthy standing ovation. “This is my life in the summertime.”

I doubt you can find a more sterling example of an American Inspiration.

Well Done J.R.