Travis Mills sits on his couch at home in Manchester. He credits his family as much as the medical team for helping him to recover. He’s paying it forward by bringing the wounded and their families to Maine to continue their recovery at a summer retreat in the town of Rome.

The new summer retreat is an is an extension of Mills' work at Walter Reed, where he lifted others' spirits while recovering from his wounds over a 19-month period. This summer, 56 families will stay at the retreat free of charge.

Travis Mills steers a boat with his 4-year-old daughter, Chloe, in Manchester, as his wife, Kelsey, watches. "Without my wife and daughter, I can't tell you that I'd be sitting here today doing as well as I'm doing," he says.

Staff Sgt. Travis Mills was deployed to Afghanistan when this photo was taken on April 8, 2012. Two days later, an IED exploded and robbed him of all four limbs.

Mills kayaks with his mother-in-law Tammy Buck in Manchester. At the new retreat in Rome, activities including kayaking, tubing and fishing will allow injured soldiers to see that they don't have to sit on the sidelines during family activities, Mills says.

Mills kayaks with daughter Chloe in Manchester.