Adam Jones

Growing up in a military family, Adam Jones didn’t consider any other career paths after high school graduation. He was accepted to Ottawa’s 30th Field Artillery Regiment in 2012, but a year later, an unfortunate accident turned his career upside down.

During a simple training exercise , Adam fell awkwardly from a 25-foot cargo net. He brushed the incident off and ignored his injuries and concussion symptoms, which turned out to be quite serious. Some time later, while marching in an Ottawa parade square, he fell and went into a concussive seizure. Adam had suffered a traumatic brain injury, and after countless doctors appointments and rehabilitation, he was told that his much anticipated military career had come to an end.

This news brought about a depression, but he worked hard to find ways to challenge and motivate himself. He enrolled as a part-time student at Carleton University; took ballet lessons after learning from his physiotherapist that it was one of the most physically demanding forms of exercise still available to him; and he took up the cello after reading that string instruments were exceptionally difficult to learn as an adult.

Adam also began running and rowing and qualified to compete in four events with Team Canada in the 2017 Invictus Games. Adam said that the Invictus Games gave him the sense of comradery that he missed after leaving the military. He also created a student veterans association at Carleton University (the first of its kind in Canada) to provide support to students who are veterans or serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Adam asserts, “my Catholic education gave me the hope and faith to begin a long and painful recovery, and the charity to devote my life thereafter to helping others do the same.”

For the past year, Adam has been telling his story in the media and speaking at events and still manages to study, train, coach and be a continuous advocate for veterans who are going to school. He is currently coordinating the para rowing program at the Ottawa rowing club and hopes to eventually coach para sports at the Invictus Games level.