Juan Valdez

U.S. Marine Corps

Marine Corps Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, Wounded Warrior Project

The story

“Shot me through the arm, inside the chest, through my lungs, ricocheted off my rib, and came out my back.”
Hear it at 2:19
“I'm looking for NCOs with combat experience, and I'd love for you to come. Talk it over with your family and let me know.”
Hear it at 2:46
“It was just a struggle, man. Those were some dark times.”
Hear it at 8:33
“You get out and you just don't have that. So, you have to build the structure.”
Hear it at 9:20
“I live in Vegas now, which is also a melting pot.”
Hear it at 38:13
“It’s given me hope. It’s helped me remember who I am.”
Hear it at 56:37
“That was a reminder that I can still do hard things.”
Hear it at 56:46
“People need to realize that it’s okay to struggle.”
Hear it at 1:03:51
“She was always telling me, go get help. Go get help. And I don't think towards the end I appreciated her.”
Hear it at 1:04:47
“You go from having a mission every day to… just silence. And that silence is loud.”
From the written story
“I wasn’t fine. I just didn’t want to worry anybody.”
From the written story