Benjamin Delgado

Missile Technician Petty Officer 2nd Class Ben Delgado joined the military in 2022 to save and protect his country, but it was his sense of adventure and the desire to see far-away seas that drew him to the U.S. Navy. As a submariner, he received a Navy Accommodation Medal from the U.S.S. Maine in recognition for his hard work and dedication. His career trajectory changed when he had two serious falls in close succession that resulted in two skull fractures with a brain bleed that required an emergency craniotomy. He had to relearn to walk and feed himself again. His mother recognized his need for connection and community and referred him into Navy Wounded Warrior. The program provided essential resources and a supportive network that has been helping him process the physical and emotional aspects of his recovery. It is nowhere more apparent than through adaptive sports. Inspired by his favorite superhero, Hawkeye, Delgado found archery as a tool to develop his focus, precision, and control, skills that are profoundly meaningful to his healing. Adaptive sports gave him a measure to track his recovery. He learned to give himself space to grow. What’s more, Delgado built friendships rooted in shared experiences and mutual understanding that will last even as he transitions back to civilian life. His story is one of persistence, finding strength in vulnerability, and discovering that healing is in a series of small victories that demonstrate profound resilience.