United States Army First Sergeant John Micheal Fairfax, known to everyone as “Mike,” grew up in the rural community of Lumberton, North Carolina. His childhood was filled with sports, motorcycles, and hard work on the family farm, where he cropped tobacco until earning his driver’s license and moving on to other jobs. In high school, he played football and wrestled, enjoying what he describes as a fairly typical upbringing. Beyond sports, Fairfax loved building models, collecting comic books, and trading football and baseball cards. His father introduced him to powerlifting at an early age, and by the age of 14, Fairfax was already competing.
On August 10, 1993, Fairfax joined the U.S. Army, initially seeking independence and a way to pay for college. He quickly discovered a passion for the mission and the wide variety of training opportunities. An adrenaline enthusiast, he found his calling as a Green Beret, where the challenges and exhilaration of the role suited him perfectly. Among his proudest accomplishments was earning the coveted Green Beret.
On July 31, 2005, during his third Operation Enduring Freedom deployment while assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fairfax was critically wounded by an Improvised Explosive Device, while on a mounted combat reconnaissance patrol near Firebase Cobra. The blast caused catastrophic injuries: his right eye was dislodged from its socket, his left lung partially collapsed, and his right femur shattered, severing both his femoral artery and popliteal vein. After two years as a limb salvage, Fairfax made the decision to have an elective amputation of his right leg above the knee.
Despite these life-altering wounds, Fairfax was carried forward by his resilience and his faith. In 2007, he made history as the first amputee to graduate from Jumpmaster School, and later became the first above-the-knee amputee in the Special Forces Regiment to redeploy to Afghanistan.
Today, Fairfax continues to embrace physical fitness through weight training, while also dedicating himself to studying Scripture, preparing sermons, and spending time with his sons on trips to special places like the beach. His ultimate goal is to enter full-time ministry, a calling made possible through the support of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which lifted the burden of a mortgage from Fairfax’s shoulders.
Reflecting on his journey, United States Army First Sergeant John Micheal Fairfax acknowledges the immense physical, emotional, and psychological toll of his injuries and credits his perseverance entirely to his faith in Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. He believes that true answers to life’s struggles are not found in alcohol, antidepressants, or self-medication, but only in Christ, who provides the strength to endure and navigate whatever challenges life presents.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has provided United States Army First Sergeant John Micheal Fairfax with a mortgage-free smart home through the Smart Home Program.