MAUSTON, Wis. — Anthony Clark spent 20 years serving as a maintenance supervisor in the National Guard. He enlisted at the age of 17.
“I actually turned 18 at basic training, I don’t think a lot of people can say that,” said Clark.
Clark said he was inspired by his family members to enlist in the military.
“I had a lot of family members that were military and because of what was going on at the time. I wanted to do my part,” said Clark.
He retired from the National Guard in Oct. 2024 following a life-threatening injury that resulted in the loss of the lower half of both of his legs.
“I grabbed the wrong 55-gallon drum then what I wanted to cut, and I went to start cutting the top open with a torch, and I made a fifty cent hot spot on the lid when the bottom blew off,” said Clark.
Clark said when this happened, his legs caught on fire and the metal drum exploded.
Parts of the drum hit his neck and head, shattering his face, and leaving him with five brain bleeds. The fire on his legs caused third and fourth degree burns.
“The mobility is definitely a lot less with having double prosthetics. You don’t have the ankles and stuff and don’t realize how much you used them,” said Clark.
Clark had to receive skin grafts on parts of his body that were severely burnt.
It has always been his dream to retire and work on the farm, but he said learning how to work on the farm again has been difficult.
“Trying to learn how to walk on different terrain and in and out of stuff,” said Clark. “You definitely pay attention to where you are going and what you are doing.”
Clark said the entire time he was in the hospital his wife, Elizabeth Taylor-Hart, was by his side.
“The 70 days I was in the hospital, she was by my side every day, which says a lot,” said Clark.
Taylor-Hart said even though Clark is still healing, she can’t get him to sit still.
“That man is on the go all the time and you can just not stop his spirit,” said Taylor-Hart. “From a young age, I have been told all he wanted to do was farm.”
Clark and Taylor-Hart own 21 beef cattle and 40 acres of land. Taylor-Hart said she helps Clark on the farm in any way she can.
“There is a little bit more manual labor that involves me just because he does have strength limitations and mobility limitations and just overall access to get to places,” said Taylor-Hart.
While his wife helps him take care of the cows and cut wood, nonprofit organization Easterseals Wisconsin is helping to make Clarks farm handicap accessible through its farm program.
“Looking at a drive through gates, so I don’t have to get in and out of the equipment, a side entry skid steer and a UTV to get around the farm easier,” said Clark.
Easterseals Wisconsin has visited Clark’s farm and identified his needs.
In a statement sent to Spectrum News, the Easterseals Wisconsin said they are now working with partnering organizations to find funding for the changes Clark needs to continue his work on the farm.
Clark said it has been the support of his friends, family, the United States Military and organizations like Easterseals Wisconsin that have kept him alive and positive during this time.
”My kids, they were actually here with me during the accident and were the ones that put me out and called 911. So, if it wasn’t for them, I would have laid right there and died,” said Clark.
Clark said he has a long road to recovery ahead of him, but he is grateful to not be walking that road alone.