Wounded Warrior Alberto Velasco Helps Other Vets Find Their Independence
Wounded Warrior Program Fellow Alberto Velasco.
Alberto Velasco survived two tours as a Marine reservist in Iraq.
After returning stateside, he assumed things would get easier.
Life settled down. Velasco returned to his job as a police officer in a Chicago suburb, and married his sweetheart.
Then disaster struck. A car accident left him paralyzed from the chest down. He was 27.
For the first year or two in a wheelchair, Velasco relied on his wife and family to help him with daily tasks that most people take for granted. Then, Velasco’s wife pushed him to do more, like shifting from the chair to bed, on his own. Velasco took it as a challenge.
Now 29, he is surprisingly confident and independent. He drives a specially fitted car, pedals a handcycle for exercise and takes his son to school every morning.
Through his Wounded Warrior fellowship as a military liaison in the district office of Republican Rep. Peter Roskam of Illinois, Velasco hopes to help other vets find their independence too. He guides them through the subtleties of Veterans Administration benefits plans and the GI Bill. He helps replace damaged service medals, and meets with veterans groups.
Along the way, Velasco has had to bone up on politics, delve into bureaucratic details and learn to deal with a variety of constituents. "It's a good challenge," he says. "And I’ve always been one to like a challenge."
It's easy to see how Velasco is cut out for his job. Rolling around in his wheelchair emblazoned with a United States Marines Corps patch, Velasco is quick to shake hands and put people at ease. "Walking is way overrated," he jokes. "I have a seat anywhere and everywhere I go."
