A Hero

Meet my friend Jim!

Retired Air Force and civilian firefighter; injured multiple times in the line of duty which ultimately landed him in a wheelchair. Following multiple neck and spinal surgeries, and a bout with cancer, Jim fell into depression and struggled with PTSD; until one day he just decided to get active again. Wheeling around the local mall for exercise, he caught the attention of the security guard who asked him what he was training for. Although Jim wasn’t training for anything specifically, he had heard of the Rock n Roll marathon which was only a few months away. Word got around at the mall and folks started cheering him on, motivating his commitment to training for the race. He managed to gain enough strength and stamina in that short time to enter and finish the half marathon. His great sense of accomplishment inspired him to keep going.

Jim was talked into getting a handcycle and was provided one by the VA; this is when his passion for cycling really took off. He participated in races all over the country, placing 1st or 2nd in many of them; until one day the airlines damaged his handcycle. After many months, they finally replaced it with a slightly different model; one that the VA will not support.

Jim is participating in the LA Marathon next month and the Boston Marathon in April; he urgently needs our help to make necessary repairs and cover some travel expenses.

Having been a life-long firefighter, Jim sacrificed so much for his country and community, yet never lost his passion to help people; he became an ambassador for Operation Comfort in San Antonio, teaching other veterans about adaptive sports and he’s been an inspiration for many.

Please help Jim continue being an inspiration for others like him, you can bet anything he receives beyond his need will go to help others.