Caleb Calderon

August 27, 2023 I was surfing near base and noticed back pain spreading down into my legs. At first I thought it was from working out the day prior but the pain consistently got worse. After about 30 minutes I decided to call it a day so I could go home and rest. Upon returning home I couldn’t pick my legs up to exit my vehicle. From there, I was transported via ambulance to the hospital. I spent 3 weeks at Tripler army medical center, then transported to James A. Haley Veterans Hospital and spent about 4 weeks there relearning how to walk.
Participating in Warrior Athlete Conditioning Events is a good way to meet service members in similar situations as me, and it allows me to feel competitive and participate in sports without standing out due to my injury.