SAN DIEGO, CALIF. — Tomy Parker’s road

home to Ronan was littered with potential for disaster, much like

those IED-ridden alleyways in Afghanistan.

He battled infection, complicated

surgeries and the mental anguish of having experienced the worst of

what a soldier could face in combat. Through it all, his positive

attitude and forward progress were nothing short of inspirational

to those of us who followed his story at every turn. Each leg of

the journey was laced with new challenges, and every time, the

Marine and his enduring mother redefined the word “hero.”

Now, Tomy is taking the next step, and

the next. Last week, he tested out his new prosthetic legs and

within days, was up and walking out the door of the hospital in San

Diego.

“Tomy got up on his legs today,” his

mom, Lisa Jennison, posted Thursday on the group Keeping the Faith

for Tomy Parker’s Facebook page. “They raised his legs six inches

and with the “rotators” (pivots) it was a lot easier for him. He

walked around the loop of the C5 halls, probably walked about

one-eighth of a mile total with the help of a walker. By the end of

his journey, he was walking with ease and he looked comfortable —

not too bad for only being his fifth time on them.”

The feat was impressive to say the

least.

“When Lisa told me that he walked with

a walker on Thursday I about fell over backwards,” Jennison’s

partner, Tim Corbett, said. Corbett was visiting San Diego until

the Monday before the pivots were added to Tomy’s legs. “When I

left him Monday, I’d never have guessed it. Those pivots made a

world of difference.”

The process of learning to walk again

is progressive. For Tomy, it started with mastering a stretch along

two parallel bars, including a 360-degree turn at each end. Then,

he moved on to the walker, which he took around the “loop” and

again outside. Now, he is looking forward to doing it all without

the help of any support, but in a reduced gravity environment.

Soon, Corbett said, it’s on to the pool.

“He’s hoping to get into the aquatic

center there to where he can start burning some calories,” Corbett

said.

An avid weight-lifter, until now,

Tomy’s exercise routine has been rather limited. According to

Corbett, he’s been focusing on building his core muscles and

strengthening the upper body.

“Getting the legs was a big deal that

opened up a lot of doors for him,” Corbett said. “Now, it’s just a

matter of getting the right setup to where he can go out and do it.

Now with the legs, he can get on and off the weight machines and do

so much more.”

Since losing both his legs and most of

his right hand when an IED erupted beneath him in December, Tomy

and his family have had to constantly up the expectations for his

recovery.

“It is incredible watching not just our

kid but some of the others he’s with there at rehab,” Corbett said.

“It’s quite a sight. Tomy’s not alone.”

Not even close.