Luis Avila’s life changed on Dec. 27, 2011.
Avila, a captain with the U.S. Army, was leading his team that day during one of his five combat tours, this time in Afghanistan, when his group was rocked by an improvised explosive device that had detonated nearby.
All told, three of Avila’s fellow soldiers lost their lives that day, while three others – including Avila – were left severely wounded.
Avila would cling to life for weeks. On Feb. 13, 2012, after almost seven weeks in a coma, he finally opened his eyes. With his wife, Claudia, and three sons by his side, Avila has since endured all kinds of traumatic medical experiences, such as the amputation of his left leg, two strokes and two heart attacks and a severe lack of oxygen that caused anoxic brain damage, all of which left him almost completely paralyzed.