Prince Harry is hero behind games to recognize wounded warriors

By David Whitley

Orlando Sentinel

It’s hard to say what was the best moment of Sunday night’s Invictus Games opening ceremony, although the sight of August O’Neill dropping from the sky to deliver the flag was certainly up there.

His left leg was severely injured during a rescue mission in Afghanistan. After 20 surgeries, it could not be saved. But the Air Force special operator didn’t give up.

He trained and fought and got his old job back. Spotlights trained on O’Neill as he rappelled from a helicopter and landed outside Champions Stadium at Walt Disney World. His prosthetic leg sported a regulation Air Force boot.

There were hundreds of men and women with similar stories, and Prince Harry would have been the first to say he’s no August O’Neill.

But none of this would be happening without Harry. He is the Baron de Coubertin of the Invictus Games, the guy who has given 500 wounded warriors a platform to – forgive him – kick arse.

“That’s a body part, by the way,” he told the Sunday Times, “not a swear word.”

It seems Harry caused a bit of stir recently when he said “arse” while discussing Great Britain’s Invictus Games athletes in a BBC interview.

“They want to be able to serve their country again,” he said. “Put the Union Jack on their left breast and kick the arse out of life.”

Harry has a reputation as the royal family’s wild card. If you don’t follow such things, you might not care to read about Harry or Charles or Pippa or the monarchy that fascinates millions.

“I would normally dedicate this song to Prince Harry because he’s so hot,” James Blunt said Sunday night. Instead, he dedicated “You’re Beautiful” to the ceremony’s other big a-lister, Michelle Obama.

Red-headed Harry

According to the tabloids, countless women think the red-headed Harry is the beautiful one. Among jealous red-blooded American males, that makes Harry easy to hate. But the admiration that flowed his way Sunday night wasn’t just from women who dream of living in Kensington Palace.

“He is truly our Prince Charming,” Obama told the crowd Sunday night.

The Prince was a real soldier, serving two tours in Afghanistan. After 10 years in the service, Harry retired last year to do whatever it is that princes do.

“I don’t get any satisfaction from sitting at home sitting on my arse,” he said.

Harry founded the Invictus Games, where competitors have no problem with his choice of words. Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro took the stage Sunday night and recounted how he was nearly killed by an IED explosion in Afghanistan.

He was severely burned over 80 percent of his body and wasn’t expected to live. But he fought back and became the first 100-percent disabled veteran to re-enlist in the Air Force.

“Stay strong,” he told the rapt audience, “and finish strong. And never (bleeping) quit.”

The bleep definitely was not a word a prince would use in public. But George W. Bush walked on stage and told Del Toro, “I’m honored to be up here with you.”

So was Harry, who explained how it all began. He was on a flight back from Afghanistan, and a Danish soldier and three British soldiers were aboard.

“They were fighting for their lives,” Harry said. “I began to understand the real and permanent cost of war.

“For a long time, I just wanted to be one of the guys. But learning through serving, the extraordinary privileges of being a prince gave me the extraordinary opportunity to help military families.”

That’s why guys like August O’Neill think Harry is a hero. Without him, they wouldn’t have this chance to kick the arse out of life.

David Whitley is an Orlando Sentinel columnist. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.