Cantrell's recovery is a story of hope

David Cantrell's life forever changed on June 9.

The Navy captain and local businessman was struck by a vehicle while riding his motorcycle. His leg bled profusely. An off-duty EMT started a tourniquet to control the blood loss. Cantrell could hardly breathe as he was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital, but he uttered the words: "God. Let. Me. Live." With each word he grasped for breath.

Cantrell spent 34 days in the hospital and his left leg was amputated below the knee. This was adversity unlike anything he had experienced.

"I was in a free-fall of really despair, doubt, anger, depression," Cantrell told me this week.

"How are my kids going to see me? How is my wife going to look at me now? Am I still a man? All those things, when you're in your initial stages of trying to accept this -- and I'm still, it's two months later, I'm still going through coping and acceptance," he said.

Flag Day, which was only days following this wreck, is one of five days where 700 flags fly at Cape County Park to honor fallen local veterans. Cantrell was not there, but an army of friends kept the flags flying. It was the biggest turnout ever to post the flags. Video and photos were shared with Cantrell as he recovered.

"I saw more people than I had ever seen out here before," Cantrell said. "The groups were so big they broke them up into threes. We've never done that. We've never had that many people."

Along with posting the colors, the group prayed for their friend. And Cantrell certainly felt loved.

"It's crazy how much love there is in this town -- and patriotism," he said.

Earlier this month as the Cape Catfish competed in a playoff game, Cantrell was asked to throw out the first pitch. On the same day, Southeast Missouri State University football coach Tom Matukewicz asked Cantrell to speak to his team.

Cantrell shared a story from his time in the Navy. While preparing for an operational night jump, Cantrell, who was a lieutenant at the time, said his commanding officer rallied the troops with a chant. "Going places, doing things." They repeated the mantra escalating in a crescendo.

As much as anything, the chant helped reinforce focus and teamwork -- something Cantrell related to the football team.

The other message to the Redhawks football squad was how to respond when adversity strikes.

"Somewhere, fellas, there's this compartment that's put in us before we're even in our Mother's womb because we're all sons and daughters of Christ," Cantrell told the room of football players. "He put this in us when he created man."

That compartment, he said, is character.

Despite his influence, Cantrell doesn't want the attention. He'd rather focus on others and building something with the Avenue of the Flags.

"I love those guys," Cantrell said of the Avenue of Flags volunteers. "They're the silent heroes."

Sept. 11 will be the first time Cantrell will be back for the posting of the flags. He's not sure how much he'll be able to do, but he'll be there for sure. Friends suggested they have a big party to celebrate him. Again, deflecting the attention, he suggested they do something special to honor all first responders.

The barbecue will be from 3 p.m. to dusk Sept. 11 at the Veteran's Memorial Plaza. The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs and enjoy the food and conversations.

Cantrell is optimistic about his recovery and staying active with the Avenue of the Flags. In fact, it's probably made him more determined to give back.

"I feel very certain that I'm going to be able to do everything that I did, maybe not as good, but I'm going to be there," he said. "I'm going to continue to do as much as I can for our veterans, for this community, because they are my family now. I didn't realize how much of a family they were until this tragedy."

Lucas Presson is assistant publisher of the Southeast Missourian.