Friday, September 14, 2018

Hope for Warriors Takes Veterans Fishing

Veteran Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan Rubio with some of his donated supplies to build custom fishing rods courtesy of Hope For The Warriors and its A Warrior’s Wish program

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SAN ANGELO, TEXAS. –With a love for spending time on the water and in nature, fishing has provided a therapeutic avenue for veteran Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan Rubio assisting him with his own post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and anxiety disorders. Taking his love for fishing and wanting to support his fellow veterans, Rubio earned a certificate in basic custom rod building and has started a nonprofit, Fish’n With Docs Custom Rods and Fishing.

Now, thanks to Hope For The Warriors® and its A Warrior’s Wish® program, the father of five can expand his nonprofit with a workshop and more than $3,500 worth of supplies.

Led by Rubio, the nonprofit will take combat veterans fishing near San Angelo, Texas providing custom rods, fishing tubes and an all-expense paid weekend to fish.

Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope to service members, their families, and families of the fallen. Its first established program, A Warrior’s Wish, honors the goals and desires of severely wounded service members, veterans, and their families.

“It's been a long time dream to start our nonprofit to help combat veterans with PTSD, TBI and anxiety disorders by taking them fishing for a stress free weekend,” said Rubio. “With the help from Hope For The Warriors and it’s A Warriors Wish program, they've made that dream a reality.”

Rubio enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1999 as a hospital corpsman and was assigned to National Naval Medical Center in Maryland. He responded to the Pentagon following the 9/11 terrorist attacks supporting search and rescue efforts. In 2002, he was reassigned to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and reclassified as a field medical service technician. He deployed twice to Iraq, first with a weapons platoon and second with a small craft company.

On January 1, 2005, his unit was ambushed along the Euphrates River with improvised explosive devices, rocket-propelled grenades, and machine gun and small-arms fire. Rubio exposed himself to enemy fire to provide triage to three wounded Marines and again when moving the wounded Marines from the ambush site to the shoreline for medical evacuation. He was wounded twice during this tour but was treated in-country and remained with his unit.

After nine years in the Navy, Rubio medically retired out of Corpus Christi Naval Air Station with a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.

“It’s always inspiring and never surprising to see veterans supporting veterans,” said Robin Kelleher, president and CEO of Hope For The Warriors. “We’re honored to grant Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Juan Rubio’s wish of a workshop and supplies so he can build custom fishing rods for his fellow veterans.”

In 2018, 20 wishes will be granted through Hope For The Warriors. The wishes fulfill a desire for a better quality of life or support a quest for gratifying endeavors for those who have sustained severe physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty.

Since the program’s inception, A Warrior’s Wish has granted 188 wishes.

For sponsorship and volunteer opportunities for the A Warrior’s Wish program, contact Chrystal Keilers at ckeilers@hopeforthewarriors.org or (832) 776-9379.

To apply for a wish, visit https://www.hopeforthewarriors.org/transition/a-warriors-wish/ and register online.

For more information on Hope For The Warriors and A Warrior’s Wish, visit hopeforthewarriors.org, Facebook or Twitter.

About Hope For The Warriors:

Founded in 2006, Hope For The Warriors is a national nonprofit dedicated to restoring a sense of self, family and hope for post 9/11 veterans, service members and military families. Since its inception, Hope For The Warriors has served more than 19,000 through a variety of support programs focused on clinical health and wellness, sports and recreation and transition. The nonprofit’s first program, A Warrior’s Wish, has granted more than 180 wishes to fulfill a desire for a better quality of life or support a quest for gratifying endeavors. In addition, Run For The Warriors has captured the hearts of more than 23,500 since 2010. For more information, visithopeforthewarriors.org, Facebook or Twitter.