Severna Park Veteran Sets Three Guinness World Records

An improvised explosive device forever changed the life of Ryan Kules 20 years ago during a deployment to Iraq. The U.S. Army veteran lost his right arm and left leg, but he did not lose his life.

To mark his annual “alive day,” the Severna Park resident claimed three Guinness World Records inside the Baltimore Ravens locker room at M&T Bank Stadium this December 1. Records included the most meters covered in one hour by a double amputee on an indoor rowing machine (11.8 kilometers), fastest marathon by a double amputee on an indoor rowing machine (three hours, 41 minutes, seven seconds) and fastest ultramarathon by a double amputee on an indoor rowing machine (four hours, 22 minutes, 53 seconds).

Kules attempted the records not just for himself but also in memory of Sergeants Donald Hasse and Jerry Mills, whom he served with in the Army’s First Battalion, 13th Armor Regiment.

“It’s very much a bittersweet day for me, and for the past nearly 20 years, it has been an opportunity for me to do as much as I can for those guys and for those who came before me and gave the ultimate sacrifice,” Kules said. “Those (men) and others from our deployment have stayed with me and it’s a motivating factor … to do this marathon for hours and set these records.”

Hasse and Mills accompanied Kules on November 29, 2005, as they conducted an early morning raid on a house that was determined to have insurgent activity. Following the raid, they drove back to base in a Humvee, which struck an improvised explosive device buried in the road.

“It cut our vehicle in half and severed my right arm and my left leg above the knee,” Kules previously told the Severna Park Voice. “I was found about 15 to 20 minutes after the explosion went off.”

Kules was taken to a hospital in Germany and then to Walter Reed Medical Center, which used to be in Washington, D.C. He spent two weeks in a medically induced coma. Eighteen months of rehab later, he went home.

He received a Purple Heart medal and focused on being a husband, a father to his three kids and an advocate for other veterans. Kules currently serves as the director of Project Odyssey, a Wounded Warrior Project mental health program that uses curriculum and adventure-based learning to increase psychological well-being and resiliency.

With his latest Guinness World Records, he can help even more survivors with his story of resilience.

The achievements were years in the making. Kules started rowing during the COVID-19 pandemic. To prepare for his record-breaking attempts, he trained five to six days per week, with a focus on distance over the last three or four months.

A prosthetic arm allows for better balance when he pulls the bar to row, and it keeps his back straight. Training can be boring, so he often passed the time by watching “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific,” two shows that depict the real experiences of soldiers during World War II.

His training paid off with the multi-record-setting performance, which is already being noticed.

“Ryan Kules is one of my heroes, and the fact that he even attempted this gives me inspiration to say, ‘What’s my Ryan Kules moment? What’s my Guinness Book of World Records moment,’” said Wilton Williamson Jr., Wounded Warrior Project vice president of connection. “We at Wounded Warrior Project are so proud of him. Ryan is a shining example of what is possible when warriors do hard things. Hopefully, other warriors around the country can look to him as an inspiration to break out of their comfort zone, not be defined by their injuries, and explore ways to live healthier and fulfilling lives.”

Kules said he could not do it alone. His wife and caregiver, Nancy, has been supportive, as have his fellow veterans.

“I’m very appreciative of Wounded Warrior Project and other organizations that have helped along the way,” he said. “There are a lot of veterans still struggling, but we have also made a lot of progress.”

This alive day, Kules had even more to celebrate.

“If people are missing limbs or whatever the case may be, others might assume that people aren’t able to do marathons, so being able to break the stigma is cool,” he said.