Kelsee Lainhart

Born just 6 days after the attacks of 9/11 Kelsee wasn't initially considering a career in the military. "I was initially interested in going into the military because I wanted to eventually work for a 3-letter agency such as the CIA or FBI, and I thought that military experience plus a college degree would give me a leg up on other candidates.” Once she enlisted and started physical training, something changed for Kelsee. “It transformed me into wanting to be a part of something bigger than myself and doing something different than everyone else I knew was doing.” After 10 months of preparation, bootcamp, and Marine Combat Training, Kelsee became an intelligence specialist stationed with the 2nd Recon Battalion in Camp Lejune, North Carolina.

Kelsee was deployed in Afghanistan to assist in the largest noncombatant evacuation operation in U.S. history. "I was part of the Female Search Team (FST) assisting with evacuation efforts at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. The FST was at Abbey Gate helping other Marines there to search women and children, and escort them out of the gates if necessary. On August 26, 2021, I was on my hands and knees on top of a retaining wall trying to get a young boy back to his mother since they did not have the correct documentation to get into the airport. A suicide bomber detonated an IED as I was helping the young boy and I immediately couldn't feel my legs. I suffered a T1/T2 spinal cord injury, TBI, and several soft tissue wounds from the blast. We were all flown to the hospital in Landstuhl, Germany and finally to Walter Reed Medical Center."

After spinal surgery and initial recovery, Kelsee was transferred to Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago for two months of inpatient therapy plus a year and a half of outpatient therapy to work on her mobility. "I learned how to be more independent from a wheelchair level, worked on my mobility in various assistive devices, and participated in research studies."

Through it all, Kelsee credits her family, friends, and her boyfriend, Matt, with giving her the strength to keep pushing forward. "The saying, 'live for the ones who can't,' has had a big impact on me as it is a reminder that regardless of how awful a situation may be, living for the ones who lost their lives is the best way to honor them.

Today, Kelsee is determined to live a life as independently as possible. "The biggest housing issue is the kitchen and the stairs. I have recently been learning to cook, but it is not very easy in a standard kitchen. By nature, I am a very clean and organized person and feel my best when my home is tidy, and I can't always do things how I want due to houses not being very ADA compliant."

Currently enrolled in Interior Design school, Kelsee hopes to merge beauty and accessibility in homes. She has flipped the script on what happened to her that fateful day and plans to use it to live life to the fullest and never take things for granted. "I am driven by wanting to improve my life and others in way I can, whether that is trying new physical therapy or medications, or helping others when I have the ability to do so," she shared.

"You never know when your situation could take a turn and you don't want to have taken your life, or your health, or your financial situation, for granted."

The Gary Sinise Foundation is proud to design a home for Kelsee where she can continue learning to cook, and where she has everything she needs to pursue her passion for beautiful and accessible interior design.