For U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez, the https:\/\/bit.ly\/4tKD0X3 is about more than just skiing, it\u2019s about reclaiming strength and confidence after devastating injuries.<\/p>\n
Now in his fourth year attending the clinic, the Gulf War Veteran continues to push his limits in new ways. This year, that challenge meant skiing without ski poles, something he had depended on in previous years for balance and stability.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy instructors said, \u2018We don\u2019t have any polls for you,\u2019 and I was like\u2026what?!\u201d Vasquez said with a laugh. \u201cBut sometimes you\u2019ve just got to just do through it. That\u2019s how you get better.\u201d<\/p>\n
What may have started as a surprise quickly became a breakthrough. Without poles to lean on, Vasquez was encouraged to rely more on his legs, core strength, and body awareness.<\/p>\n
The decision wasn\u2019t accidental.<\/p>\n
Before hitting the slopes, his instructors, Bruce Tubbs and Molly Nickel, reviewed his history and noticed a pattern: Vasquez often ended his runs early due to fatigue and back pain. To address that, they made a deliberate call to remove the poles and push him to engage his lower body more effectively.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe needed him to connect with what his body is doing with what his legs are doing,\u201d Tubbs explained. \u201cBy taking away the poles, he couldn\u2019t rely on them for balance, so he had to use his legs more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Run after run, Vasquez began to find that connection, completing multiple descents without needing physical support.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s building confidence every time,\u201d Nickel added. \u201cIt\u2019s working.\u201d<\/p>\n
That progress is especially significant given where his journey began. Vasquez suffered catastrophic injuries that left him questioning what his future would look like. He broke both legs, his pelvis, neck and ribs, with some injuries so severe they displaced bones through his skin.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never thought I\u2019d be skiing,\u201d Vasquez candidly said.<\/p>\n
Through recreation therapy at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Vasquez was introduced to adaptive sports as part of his recovery. His first experience at the Winter Sports Clinic four years ago was anything but easy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat first year, it was tough,\u201d Vasquez said candidly. \u201cThey started me out on a ski bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
Over time, with consistent effort and guidance, he progressed back onto skis, first with support, then with poles, and now without.<\/p>\n
For Vasquez, adaptability isn\u2019t just about equipment, it\u2019s about mindset. Learning to trust his body again, to push through discomfort, and to accept challenges has been central to his growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m glad Bruce and Molly are courageous enough with me to push me,\u201d Vasquez said.<\/p>\n
Beyond the physical gains, Vasquez says the clinic provides something just as important: connection.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re disabled, it\u2019s hard to leave your home sometimes,\u201d Vasquez said. \u201cYou get comfortable there. But when you come out here, you\u2019re one with everybody, especially us Veterans.\u201d<\/p>\n
That sense of camaraderie mirrors the bonds he formed during his 22 years of military service.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t do this alone,\u201d Vasquez said. \u201cThat\u2019s how we get through things \u2013 together.\u201d<\/p>\n
From relying on a cane to walk to skiing independently down the mountain, Vasquez\u2019s journey is a powerful reminder that progress often begins by approaching discomfort and choosing to keep going.<\/p>\n
Veterans interested in participating in the 2027 Winter Sports Clinic can review qualifications and applications at https:\/\/bit.ly\/4tKD0X3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez, the https:\/\/bit.ly\/4tKD0X3 is about more than just skiing, it\u2019s about reclaiming…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":581772,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,3,21,19,22,20,25,24],"class_list":["post-581771","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-america","tag-news","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=581771"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/581771\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/581772"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=581771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=581771"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=581771"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}