The Military Family: Bond of Brotherhood forged through near-death crash
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - "One and a-two, and a-three and four. Ah-one, and a-two, and three and four," Mark Maloney picks one foot up, then the next in cadence.
Two rounds with the assisted harness, then one full lap down a cavernous hallway, then down to the left.
The Vietnam Veteran -- now 88 -- has made remarkable progress since a catastrophic accident that left him a quadriplegic four years ago.
He's now walking, assisted. He completes each physical therapy assignment here at the VA Hospital in Aurora, singing those marches he and his fellow soldiers did back in Vietnam. "They just made things easier," Maloney smiled.
It was June 3rd, 2020, Maloney was biking the Greenway Trail near downtown Colorado Springs -- as he had done "hundreds of times" before, when he lost control of his bike.
"To this day I don't really know what happened," said the now 88-year-old Vietnam Veteran.
Maloney's neck broke, leaving him a quadriplegic.
It was a devastating blow to the man who was a regular at running marathons and triathlons, scaling Colorado's 14ers -- and even conquering Mt. Whitney.
Maloney, though, is quick to pay gratitude to a fellow Army veteran, who just so happened on the biking accident.
"He saved my life," said Maloney.
He, being Chris Brown.
"I thought maybe it was trash or something on the road. And as I got closer, I realized it was a person," said Brown.
The Army Medic decided to bike from his home in Rockrimmon to Ft. Carson that day, and see how long it would take. He also happened to pack medical supplies in his bag.
"He was unconscious and was gurgling up blood," recounted Brown. "'He stopped breathing when I was on the phone with 911."
Paramedics did arrive, to take Maloney to the hospital where he would begin his long journey to recovery. A months-long stay there was followed up with more months at the VA Hospital.
Early on in his recovery, Maloney's family was able to find Brown and connect the two, who have formed an indelible bond -- and brotherhood -- since.
"He brought me into his family, basically," said Brown. The Maloneys were there to celebrate Brown's promotion to Major; Maloney upgrading Brown's beret. The two also finished the BolderBoulder together in 2023.
"He gave me four more years," said Maloney. "I appreciate him on an ongoing basis."
