Pfc. Josh Budd Invited to Join Sled Hockey Team

When word of Pfc. Joshua Budd's injury reached members of the Connecticut Wolfpack Sled Hockey Team, they didn't waste any time sending out an invitation for Budd, 19, of Cheshire to join other disabled athletes on the team.

Here is the inviation from the team captain Karen Smith:

"I would love to offer Josh a chance to come out and give it a try when he is all healed and ready for some action. We have a league where we play teams from Pennsylvania to Maine and also do tournaments in Canada and around the country. We have other amputees and wounded warriors and would love to see him come out and give it a try," Smith wrote.

"It is a coed hockey team for disabled athletes. Not at all mamby pamby but full-fledged full check hockey. It's played in sleds on a regulation ice rink," Smith concluded.

In a message posted Monday on Caringbridge.org, Joshua's mom, Barbara Budd, mentioned the invitation.

"(Josh) has been invited to try sled hockey on the Wolfpack team and he seems excited about that. I have a feeling that once he really gets going not too many of us are going to be able to keep up with him."

Barbara Budd also wrote in an earlier message that her son has signed up for five-day trip:

"He has signed up for a hunting trip in Oct to go bear, turkey and deer hunting with the hospital (they have a guy who plans the trips and goes with the wounded warriors). It will be for 5 days...," she wrote.

Barbara Budd also said her son will be granted a convalescent leave in the near future to return to Cheshire up to 30 days. He will then return to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Maryland to continue "aggressive PT/OT (physical and occupational therapy.)"

Joshua Budd who was seriously injured in July while serving with the US Army in Afghanistan. He was on patrol when his unit was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Budd lost one leg, severely fractured his other leg, and suffered other serious internal injuries.

He returned the weekend of September 10 for the first time to visit family and friends who held a fundraising event to provide donations for transportion costs for the family of seven.

Here are the ways to donate:

Joshua Budd, c/o Webster Bank, 145 Highland Ave. Cheshire, CT 06410.

The Cheshire Volunteer Fire Department is also raising funds to buy a specially adapted truck for Josh once he returns to Cheshire. Those donations may be made through this account: 

The Josh Budd Wounded War Vet Fund, c/o The Naugatuck Savings Bank, 218 Maple Avenue, Cheshire, CT 06410 or by logging into your PayPal account and sending money to account name:buddsbuddies@cox.net.