Gulf/Iraq-Afghanistan Wars
by joining the Veteran Family Network to raise awareness about the importance of not leaving any family behind on the fi eld of battle.
VFN Foundation
Helps Paralympians VFN Foundation presented the UCO
Paralympians with funding for their attempt at gold in the Endeavor Games. The University of Central Oklahoma hosted the 11th annual UCO Endeavor Games for athletes with physical disabilities. The Endeavor Games is a nationally recognized competition that allows all athletes with physical disabilities to participate in a multi- sport event. The games also provide training clinics for aspiring athletes. Event include: Power lifting, Table Tennis, Wheelchair Basketball, Swimming, Sitting Volleyball, Cycling, Wheelchair Track & Field, Indoor/ Outdoor Archery, Ambulatory Track & Field and Shooting.
The Endeavor Games is endorsed or sanctioned by US Paralympics, National Disability Sports Alliance, Disabled Sports USA, United States Association of Blind Athletes, USA Track and Field, and Wheelchair Sports USA. In attendance for UCO was Master Sgt. Ed O’Neil, Eric Duda, Elliot Blake and Casey Moore.
“The gift is an investment in the education of my beautiful children,” said Pulido. “I was motivated to join the Foundation and work with companies like Veteran Family Network to help other families in need. Together we are making a diff erence in the lives of families of our fallen and our wounded.”
Pulido said that he had experienced his darkest moments, thinking about giving up when he realized that he had lost a part of him.
“It was true hopelessness,” he said. “Then I got well wishes and support from lots of people, and that’s what’s uplifting; you’ve got to hit rock bottom because there’s only one way up. For the fi rst time in my life, I was broken down. Even when I got hit, it was not like losing a limb. “For over forty days I struggled to keep it, and then the struggle was gone. That’s when I reached that ‘wow, my life is over’ moment. That’s what I said! Two days later some of my colleagues, a triple amputee, one with a messed up arm, came to visit me in the hospital. All these guys in those early stages taught me the greatest gift, and that’s when you’re recovered.
“They told me, ‘you gotta get back. We sat in that bed and we felt these things, but at one point we decided we’re going to succeed.’ And I did that, and it was incredible. Seven days later I was walking on crutches. For me, that was huge!”
Disabled veteran Master Sgt.. Ed O’Neil accepts a donation from Gerald Buckles on behalf of the VFN Foundation.
Pulido is a native of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, where legend says the town was named after an explorer awakened to the scenery and cried, “Oh, so beautiful!” For Pulido, beauty out of the darkness was seeing the sunlight outside his hospital room. “The greatest thing was the day after the amputation was a sunny fall day after weeks of fog and rain,” he said.
Returning to that awful day that he lay wounded, Pulido focused on his faith with God, family, a wife and a little girl he feared he might never see again. He thought of what he wanted to teach about life and prayed that he would get that chance. He did get that chance and again in the form of another little girl, Kinsley.
“I want to teach our girls that they live in an era that’s diff erent from mine,” he said. “I didn’t have the same opportunities that my girls have now. I just want them to be humble about the fact that not all of these things are easy to get. These things are not free, they take sacrifi ce, and they take work and dedication. More importantly, I want them to see that we have a wonderful country; and in order to make our country continue to be the best it can be, we have to volunteer, we have to contribute and we have to serve in uWWWniform.”
Pulido, who served 19 years in the military before he was medically retired on May 16, 2005, states the “cause” of making sure we take care of those who take care of us is very important to him. All of us at Veteran Family Network understand that sacrifi ce, and freedom is not free. Ed is grateful to Gerald Buckles for the opportunity to be involved with Veteran Family Network. “Gerald is a great patriot and great friend.” “Together we understand that we cannot leave any military, Veteran or their family behind.” “It is our duty, honor and responsibility to ensure that we honor the legacy of the protectors of our freedom.” “Veteran Family Network,” said Pulido, “is making sure that we never forget the sacrifi ces of so many.” Thank you Veteran Family Network for your support and for your vision in making this country the best it can be for those who serve. May God bless you and this great nation! h
VETERAN FAMILY NETWORK h AUGUST 2011
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