United States Army Sergeant Neil Duncan was born and raised in Minnesota, where he loved playing football, baseball, and hockey. He comes from a long line of military service and was called to serve after the tragic events of September 11, 2001. At just 18 years old, Duncan enlisted in the US Army and became a Paratrooper stationed with the 173rd Airborne in Italy. In 2003, Duncan was deployed to Iraq where he stayed for about a year. During this time, he was an infantry team machine gunner involved in raids, patrols, and more. Duncan was then deployed to Afghanistan in 2005 with the same unit where he was promoted to Sergeant.
Ten months into his second deployment, however, Duncan’s life was changed forever. In the early days of December 2005, he and his team were on a reconnaissance mission when their vehicle drove over an IED and very suddenly exploded beneath them. He was evacuated and induced into a medical coma before waking two weeks later at Walter Reed Medical Center. He became a left leg below-the-knee amputee, right leg above-the-knee amputee, and experienced severe facial trauma requiring significant reconstruction to his jaw and dental reconstruction. Duncan was honorably and medically retired on April 11, 2007, though he continued his rehabilitation efforts post-retirement for some time.
Passionate about helping fellow wounded veterans, Duncan and two other amputees decided to raise money for them just four years after his injury in 2009. With their self-given name, “Three Guys, One Leg,” they set forth to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Although their first attempt failed, their second attempt one year later was a success. Duncan later went on to climb Mt. McKinley and Aconcagua in 2012 and 2013, respectively. He also received Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Art degrees in Finance and Real Estate from the University of Denver as well as a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University.
Currently, Duncan resides with his girlfriend of three years, Christine, and his service dog, Sarge. The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is providing Duncan with a specially-adapted, mortgage-free Smart Home, which is equipped with the necessary accommodations to allow Duncan to navigate his home with ease and independence. Despite the trauma he experienced, United States Army Sergeant Neil Duncan made a promise to himself and others to continue his obligation of duty by assisting others where he is best suited and leading a productive and meaningful life in spite of the challenges he continues to face.