Military Branch: United States Army
Location: Arizona
Build Completion: September 20, 2019

Corporal Cesar Garcia enlisted in the United States Army in April 2004 to serve his country and help others. He was deployed to Southwest Baghdad in September 2004 where his life would change forever. While on a mission to recover two prisoners of war on June 16, 2006, Cpl. Garcia suffered critical injuries in an explosion. His unit came across the bodies of the POWs when they realized they had been rigged with explosives. During the unit’s exit, a daisy chain exploded, and Cpl. Garcia sustained life-threatening injuries, including the loss of his left leg at the hip, pelvic and spinal fractures, and a traumatic brain injury. While attempting to get out, he was also shot multiple times in an ambush.

As a result of his injuries, Cpl. Garcia went into cardiac arrest. When CPR failed, his chest was opened and manually massaged and shocked to revive him. Once stabilized in Baghdad, he was transported to Germany and then to Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. Cpl. Garcia required 42 surgeries and 18 months of neurocognitive rehabilitation to recover.

Despite having his life altered forever in combat, Cpl. Garcia has not allowed his injuries to sidetrack his goals. He currently works full-time as a Field Engineer, has earned his business degree and M.S. degree from Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering in Construction Management with Six Sigma Accreditation and LEAN Certification. He is thoroughly enjoying home life and coaching his son’s Peewee football team. That life has been enhanced by his new home in Arizona, courtesy of Jared Allen’s Homes for Wounded Warriors, that is 100-percent accessible, specifically for his individual needs.

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