There were several “fan favorite” veterans featured in Heart of Invictus, the spectacular docuseries showing competitors training ahead of The Hague Invictus Games last year. My favorite was definitely Yuliia “Taira” Paievska, the Ukrainian medic who was captured by Russians before the games. But I had so many other favorites too, like Gabe George, the American Navy veteran dealing with chronic pain from a motorcycle accident and an amputation. Gabe has sort of become the face of the series in America, and he’s given interviews to People Magazine and other outlets about his friendship with Prince Harry. They went scuba diving together in Hawaii! Well, ahead of the Dusseldorf games, Gabe appeared on CBS’s This Morning, and the interview was super-charming.
Gabe George, a Navy veteran who lost his arm after a motorcycle accident, is featured in the Netflix docuseries #HeartofInvictus.
He shares how he perseveres through pain for his daughter, connecting with Prince Harry and how he finds purpose through sport and @WeAreInvictus. pic.twitter.com/Aj1HMm8teN
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 7, 2023
He’s such an inspirational person – I choked up a few times, especially when he spoke about his daughter and figuring out that he wanted to live. Of course, they asked him about Prince Harry too, and Gabe said in part: “Talking to him was like talking to a brother of mine, it’s ‘cause he’s a human being… there was never a moment where he looked down upon me or made me feel like oh ‘he’s lesser than me’. Like, the Invictus Games, for him coming to it and witnessing it and putting on the event, gives us all a connection… the Invictus Games isn’t about Harry, it’s about us.”
Real question: should there be a second season of Heart of Invictus? Because I would totally watch it – I loved being able to hear the veterans’ stories and see how Invictus works on a country-by-country level with the support teams and training.
Photos courtesy of Netflix.
Such a gift to the participating veterans. Such compassion. Not a trait desirable to the RF. As an aside, it is utterly amazing what physical activity can do for the body and more importantly, the mind.
I would love a second Heart of Invictus!! Gabe was one of my favorites and I’m glad he and Harry formed a bond. I’m also happy that Taira was able to be a part of the games this year.
I would love a second season, but it doesn’t look like Netflix is promoting this at all. It’s not even on their site under new documentaries – you have to search for it.
It pops up right on the top of my things to watch. I think it depends on your viewing habits. We each have our own pod in Netflix so things we’re interested in pops up in our pods. If your Netflix isn’t sent up that way and someone watches it more than you, their interests will dominate the “what to watch” sections.
It was on my Netflix and it was also listed under the shows that were trending. I’m in the middle of watching a second time.
You’re right — when I first went to watch it last Thursday/Friday, I literally had to search for it, which I thought was weird. But now it shows up as a trending series when you go into Netflix a week in. Guess they’re starting to see it do the numbers it was always going to do and realize they should be pushing it. I don’t know why they didn’t realize that would be the case from the get-go.
I really loved his story. I kept wondering if he’s tried hypnosis or acupuncture to deal with his pain. I felt so bad for him but he keeps going.
I’d love a second season. It was such a good series.
OK you all know I’m a veteran so let’s get that out of the way
This warrior is so inspirational, he is a veteran I would be proud to call brother! To hear him talk about Harry the way he does needs to be HEARD. Murdoch isn’t fit to tie his or Harry’s laces. Gabe, I salute and thank you. Harry, you have given the veterans something to aim for, and supported them in so many ways. BOTH OF YOU, stand tall and proud, you have earned it, and @KAISER, yes, yes, yes, more heart of Invictus please
❤️gabe! In the people article, he spoke about his love for pickle ball and then I saw another article about him visiting veteran bases to teach and spread his love for pickle ball. So can we get a pickle ball tournament going at IG? Also, the IG is going to have a winter games next and it would definitely be interesting to see adaptive sports within the winter climate. So how about those ideas for another HOI series.
I hope there is some promotion during the Invictus Games, or Harry will promote it in an interview. I would expect an interview with one of the American networks as well as a UK one.
My God what an inspiration this man is. What an inspiration all the IG participants are. To all the rotten tabloids and bottom-feeders who write sh*t for them, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT. No matter what lies and garbage you write about Harry and Meghan, THIS is the truth of how amazing, compassionate, caring and good a human being Harry is. His feckless wankers of a father, brother and sister-in-law will never come anywhere close to achieving what he’s done.
His stupid family wouldn’t let him wear his uniform when he was the only one that merited to wear one. The vets however know he’s the real deal.
This was a great interview, I watched it on YouTube. Living with constant pain like that and still being able yo push through let alone compete in sports is amazing.
Family is not just bloodline, family is also the people we choose to share our lives and time with. Gabriel George is a wonderful human being.
I’ll watch a yearly series of The Heart of Invictus. I hope Netflix and Archewell Productions plan to do more.