Helping Navy Veteran David Garcia restart new life.

Hello everyone I am Victor Sarmiento current Commander of the American Legion Cicero Post#96 and created this fundraiser to help fellow veteran David Garcia. I do this because I feel we must help each other out in times of need. No one should walk alone. As a soldier, as a veteran and a father I cannot leave my brother in arms behind. We have a saying "I got your six" please join me in showing David that his sacrifice for our country will not be forgotten.

All donations will go directly to David to help with bills and give hope for a new start.

Please share, donate & read his story below:

My name is David S. Garcia. I am a United States Navy Veteran. I

served as a Gunnersmate Third Class Petty Officer (E-4). I spent a

majority of my service stationed at Naval Air Station Sigonella, based in

Sicily, Italy. I worked at the base’s Weapons Department, providing

arms, ordinance, armory services, and weapons training for the Naval

6 th Fleet and NATO forces throughout multiple regions. I enlisted in the

Navy in 2001 in Cicero, IL and was Honorably Discharged in 2005.

I am also the current Senior Vice Commander and Seargent-at-

Arms at American Legion Post 96 in Cicero, IL.

In July 2023, I suffered severe injuries due to being attacked by

my neighbors’ 2 dogs. Because of this mauling, over the past 8 months

I have gone through multiple medical procedures and setbacks. To

name some includes over half a dozen surgeries, a broken hip from a

fall while in route to physical therapy, severe infections requiring IV

antibiotics for a 2-month period, and physical and mental therapies.

I have been staying at the Hines VA Extended Care Center for the

second time since December 2023, due to the amount of care needed

and the severity of my injuries. The most significant injury being that I

have not been able to use nor have control of my lower left leg, which

took the worst of the dog attack. It has required a variety of

treatment and surgeries. As of my most recent surgery on 05MAR24, I

was informed by doctors that I may never regain full control and

function of my lower left leg. The nerve damage was so severe that

they cannot guarantee a full recovery. For the time being I will be

trying to continue my recovery and learn a “modified walk”, requiring

the use of aids and equipment in an attempt to move in an upright

position. But no matter the outcome, I am facing years of physical

therapy and recovery.

Throughout this whole ordeal, I have not worked since the initial

injury. And as of January 2024, my employer released me from my job

due to not being able to return to work. I had applied for

Unemployment Benefits, but recently had them stripped away after 3

weeks. Apparently, my situation falls under their classification of

“quitting my job”, therefore making me ineligible to receive

Unemployment Benefits.

My life partner has been able to keep her job during this time.

But we live in the Brighton Park neighborhood in the Southwest Side of

Chicago. Living in the city is a struggle in itself, especially financially.

We have done the best we could with only 1 income, but it has come to

the point where we will no longer be able to make ends meet. I can no

longer afford to make payments on my car, which is facing reposition

procedures because I am 3 payments behind. It will also become a

challenge to purchase gasoline to make the trips for her to come visit

me from Brighton Park to Hines and back, which she is only able to do a

few times a week already.

I’d like to thank you for taking the time in considering me for your

assistance. It is very much appreciated. Please let me know if you need

any other information.

Thank you again,

David S. Garcia