On 31 January 2010, while serving in Helmand Province with the British Army’s Household Cavalry, Corie and his crew were patrolling in an armoured vehicle when it detonated an IED.
The blast tore the vehicle apart and left Corie with injuries so severe he lost both legs above the knee.
It was an event which shattered lives but marked a new chapter in the life of a man who dreamed of serving in the British Army.
Born in Bridgetown, Barbados, Corie was inspired to join the British Army after visiting Buckingham Palace as a child.
“I saw the Changing of the Guard and thought, I want to do that,” said Corie.
In 2005, he made that dream a reality by joining the Household Cavalry and later becoming the first Barbadian to ride on the Queen’s Birthday Parade.
Just five years later his life changed forever.
Corie described the extent of his injuries after the explosion: “The hull of the vehicle we were patrolling in was cracked in half, the turret came off, and they found me lying there,” he continued.
“I woke up in hospital, and I didn’t know what had happened or the extent of my injuries, so I told the nurse to take my boots off.
“Then the consultant came in and explained I’d lost both my legs.”
"The realisation of this really hit hard me hard and I quickly sank into a state of depression,” Corie said.
“Even though my family was there, it was difficult to manage and compute.”
"It was my daughter’s words that changed everything as she said ‘Daddy…... you’re going to be fine, you’ll get some metal legs.’
“That was the moment I decided I wasn’t going to be a victim of my injuries."
With the support of staff and fellow soldiers at Headley Court in Surrey, Corie learned to walk again using prosthetic legs and turned to sport as a new way to rebuild his life.
“I’ve always been sporty, so I thought about what I could do and that’s where golf, cricket, and running came in and eventually, bobsleigh,” he said.
In 2025, Corie made history by becoming the first British man in 60 years to win a world championship gold in bobsleigh.
“When I sit in a sled, I have nothing in my head, it’s just that,” Corie continued.
“It really is an incredible feeling and we have a great team, and we win and lose together.”
Now, Corie dedicates his time to inspiring others and supporting veterans’ causes.
The Veterans’ Foundation is a charity close to his heart and has a message to all of those who play the Veterans’ Lottery: “Without you, the Foundation couldn’t do its work, so thank you and please keep supporting veterans like me.”
The Veterans’ Foundation has awarded more than £30 million in grants to over 500 UK military charities, supporting thousands of veterans and their families.
If you’d like to be in with a chance to win up to £75,000 and help veterans like Corie please sign up today.
