United States Army Specialist Andy Keith Kingsley was born in Ft. Lewis, Washington and raised in various parts of the world, including Korea, Mannheim, Germany, Ft. Devens, Massachusetts, Gardner, Massachusetts, and Athol, Massachusetts. Having been in a military family, Kingsley’s childhood was very culturally diverse. He spent his youth exploring Europe and his teen years in America, participating in sports, such as football, track and field, and wrestling. He and his wife, Kailey, were both locals to the Gardner, Massachusetts area when they met for the first time at a 9/11 Memorial Day barbeque. The pair have been together for eight years and married for almost six years.
Kingsley’s upbringing in a military family and being raised abroad formulated a broad concept of the world that he wanted to continue seeking and eventually share with the youth through teaching. Paired with a desire to follow in the footsteps of his father, he decided to join the US Army on June 6, 2008. He served in the 82nd Airborne Division, 1/321 AFAR Delta Battery. He loved the camaraderie and being able to serve his country. His goals were to make a lifelong career out of serving and help shape the future generations of military service members. Throughout his honorable career, Kingsley received various awards and decorations, including a Purple Heart, Army Good Conduct Medal, and St. Barbara Medallion for Artillery Man of the Year. Additionally, he represented Team USA in Warrior Games for swimming.
On July 12, 2010, while on deployment, Kingsley sustained catastrophic combat injuries while in the line of duty, resulting in amputation of his right leg above the knee, shrapnel wounds throughout his body, the loss of one of his toes and one of his fingers, partial vision loss, gunshots to his left leg, a traumatic brain injury, and PTSD. He spent over a year in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center learning how to navigate life with his injuries.
Kingsley currently resides in South Carolina with his wife and children, Nixion, Kamille, Kallum, and Klementine. He participates in adaptive sports including adaptive basketball and rugby and pours a lot of his time into his local community and church, volunteering with youth ministry and a youth feeder program for wrestling which helps elementary-aged children to prepare for local middle school teams. He is also a player on the Coastal Chairmen basketball team. In the future, Kingsley is excited to have full accessibility in his home and raise his children in a home that allows him more independence and involvement in everyday activities. He is grateful to Tunnel to Towers for relieving the financial burden of a mortgage from his and his wife’s shoulders. Finally, United States Army Specialist Andy Keith Kingsley would like others to remember to persevere. There is life after injury; keep moving forward.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has provided United States Army Specialist Andy Keith Kingsley with a mortgage-free smart home through the Smart Home Program.