Meet Adaptive Athlete: Jose Rivera

Jose grew up in Brooklyn, New York where he participated in many sports, but primarily excelled in football and baseball. He graduated in 1998 and then made the decision to enlist in the Marine Corps. Jose served with honor from 2004 until 2019 as an Infantryman and Platoon Sergeant. 

 

During a deployment to Iraq, Jose and his unit were on patrol when an improvised explosive device detonated in close proximity to him, launching him over 50 feet which resulted in multiple fractures in his left foot and right knee along with a bilateral shoulder injury. Jose went through numerous surgeries in the following years to alleviate the pain and salvage the left foot, however the damage was too much and he elected to have it amputated in June of 2022.

 

After his injuries and the following amputation, Jose was angry. Angry about not being able to move like he used to, not being able to do the things he once could, not being the man he once was. He gave up on himself and became jaded, not believing things would get better. 

 

During his time in ReDefine, Jose wants to embark on a journey of transformation at the physical and mental level. He wants to rediscover his inner strength and motivation by fully diving into the program.