United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mitchell Underwood was born in Detroit, Michigan to his loving parents and raised in Rockwood, Michigan alongside two younger sisters. He spent much of his time growing up spending time outdoors, hunting, fishing and playing sports. Underwood was introduced to his wife, Samantha, through a family friend, and they have been happily married for fourteen years.
Underwood was inspired to enlist in the United States Marine Corps by his great grandfather, who served as a Marine in World War II, and his grandfather, who also served as a Marine in the Vietnam War. Motivated by his desire to serve his country, Underwood joined the Marine Corps on his eighteenth birthday and left for boot camp in Parris Island in November of 2009. Underwood served with the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines, Weapons Company, CAAT Platoon, and aimed to create a career of his military service. He grew to love the camaraderie and brotherhood he shared with his fellow marines, who became more like family as years passed, and took great pride in serving his country. During his time of service, Underwood was deployed once to Marjah, Afghanistan.
On April 23, 2011, Underwood was serving as a dismount SAW gunner in the lead vehicle of his CAAT squad when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. The blast took the lives of two of his fellow marines, and severely injured Underwood and two additional marines. Underwood sustained traumatic brain injuries, a ruptured spleen, burst lumbar spinal fractures, bilateral compound femur fractures, and a below the knee amputation of his right leg. Underwood spent the first year of his recovery inpatient as he underwent several surgeries, including a splenectomy, lumbar spinal fusion, and surgery to place rods in his femurs. The next year of his recovery was spent as an outpatient as he underwent physical therapy.
Currently, Underwood lives in Milan, Michigan with his wife, Samantha, and their children, Aaron and Natalie. Underwood still enjoys hunting and fishing, and volunteers his time helping the veteran community by taking fellow veterans fishing on the Detroit River and Lake Erie. Underwood looks forward to continuing his volunteer work with fellow veterans, and watching his children grow and thrive. The gift of a mortgage-free smart home will enable Underwood to move freely about his home, no longer confined to a single room due to his physical limitations.
Additionally, lifting the burden of living in a home with stairs and obstacles from Underwood’s shoulders will allow him to receive medical procedures that will vastly improve his quality of life, and most importantly will afford him the time to recover from these procedures for as long as necessary.
United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mitchell Underwood would like his story to serve as a reminder to never give up, and that you can achieve anything if your heart and mind are in the game, stating “Your mind can be your greatest enemy or your greatest ally.”
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation has provided United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Mitchell Underwood with a mortgage-free smart home through the Smart Home Program.