Dear Patriot, You have the power to change a hero’s life.
Right now, you can help a paralyzed Army veteran regain his independence and restore a sense of normalcy for his family.
Your support can provide a life-changing mobility device that will allow him to reclaim the freedoms he fought so hard to protect.
Donate now to help Johnny Ortiz receive a critical mobility device that will change his life.
Johnny Ortiz answered the call to serve his country on April 27, 2000. He enlisted in the U.S. Army to build a better future for his family, dedicating a decade of his life to military service—including three deployments to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
As a light-wheeled vehicle mechanic, he endured brutal conditions, lifting heavy vehicle parts, climbing under trucks, and marching for miles with full combat gear.
Years of service took a toll on Johnny’s body. Repeated strain left him with degenerative disc disease and severe sciatica. But even after surgeries and the implantation of a spinal stimulation device, Johnny kept pushing forward—until disaster struck.
A medical emergency caused Johnny to fall while in the hospital. A spinal hematoma went undiagnosed for over 30 hours, leaving him paralyzed. Everything he worked for—his independence, his mobility, and his ability to provide for his family—was taken in an instant.
But Johnny is still fighting.
He refuses to let his injuries define his life. Despite using a manual wheelchair, he’s determined to be the husband, father, and community advocate he was meant to be. He dreams of walking nature trails with his son, returning to photography, and training a new service dog. But these dreams are out of reach without the right mobility device.
That’s where your gift comes in.
The iBOT Personal Mobility Device ® could transform Johnny’s life. This cutting-edge wheelchair would allow him to:
- Take walks with his son on rugged nature trails.
- Return to his passion for photography, taking pictures from angles he can’t reach now.
- Train his service dog with better control and mobility.
- Relieve his wife and children from the physical strain of managing his manual wheelchair.
Johnny has given so much for our country. Now, he needs your help to reclaim his independence and restore a sense of normalcy for his family.
Donate Now to help SoldierStrong provide this life-changing mobility device.
Let’s stand strong for Johnny—just as he stood strong for us.
Gratefully,
Dr. Chris Meek
