WATCH: Local veteran plays his inspirational part at Invictus Games

• Kelowna military veteran is competing in Europe
• Invictus Games are meant to inspire injured vets
• An 'utterly life changing' experience

At the start of his military career, Mike Bourgeois suffered serious injury during training - fracturing his C4 and C5 vertebrae.

Because the doctors didn’t realize the extent of his injury, he would unknowingly serve his entire 20-year global career with a broken spine.

Then at 48, he suffered a heart attack and has been on beta blockers ever since.

Despite all this, the 52-year-old Kelowna-based veteran is representing Canada at this week’s Invictus Games where he said he’d be ‘crazy’ to complain about his setbacks.

“I do have use of my arm. I’m sometimes shooting against people that don’t have an arm. So, you got to keep it in perspective,” Bourgeois told Kelowna10 from the team camp in Holland.

Founded by Prince Harry, the Invictus Games welcomes both current army personnel and veterans who were injured in the line of duty to compete in modified sports.

The word ‘Invictus’ means ‘unconquered’.

The international event sees over 500 athletes from 20 nations compete. This year it’s hosted in the Hague. These are the fifth games following delays in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.

They’re meant to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who serve their country.

It was following his heart attack that Bourgeois told his wife he needed to make a life change. He took up archery with help from Hardcore Archery in Kelowna. They had a staff member who was a world class coach.

Bourgeois then applied to the Invictus Games and was chosen out of 800 applicants. Shortly after, he was asked to also join the cycling team.

It was during training for cycling competition where he suffered yet another setback. On Kirschner Mountain he crashed going over 60 km/h and severely broke his left shoulder.

This would hinder his ability to compete in archery, but he was able to take advantage of the delay caused by the pandemic the last two years to rehabilitate.

This week he has competed in archery, seated volleyball, and cycling.

He described the atmosphere at Invictus as ‘phenomenal’ and said he’s formed life-long friendships with fellow competitors.

The supportive environment extended to a loud, standing ovation for the Ukrainian athletes who showed up to the opening ceremony.

“The love that every nation feels for every other nation, it’s very obvious because it’s the same journey, whether you’re Canadian, British, Italian, French, Norwegian, Georgia, Germany, whatever,” he said.

“Everybody has gone through a struggle to get here … I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s utterly life changing.”