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Team: Army
Henry Escobedo
Sports: Cycling, Field, Rowing, Swimming, Track
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Team: NAVY
Maria Edwards
Sports: Field, Rowing, Powerlifting, Volleyball, Track
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class (Ret.) Henry Escobedo
From soldier to adaptive sports champion, Henry paved his own road to recovery through sheer dogged determination. Growing up, Henry was always active in sports, but after 9/11, Henry wanted to give back to his country and joined the Army. He served as an 11C indirect infantry fireman and was deployed to Germany in 2003 and Iraq in 2010.
During his service, Henry suffered multiple concussions, leading to significant vision problems. Three months after his second deployment, Henry's vision deteriorated dramatically, causing significant impairment in his right eye. After years of medical treatment and genetic testing, he was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy — a diagnosis that marked a turning point in his life. Losing his military career and active lifestyle pushed Henry into a deep depression, and, as many injured veterans do, he wanted to numb the pain. He turned to alcohol. Thankfully, Henry found hope through adaptive sports, rediscovering his passion for living a healthy lifestyle.
Henry engaged Wounded Warrior Project nearly a decade ago. WWP offered educational and experiential programs and resources that boosted his confidence. Adaptive sports transformed Henry's life. Henry’s story is one of overcoming adversity and finding purpose through sports and community support. His journey from a struggling soldier to a champion in adaptive sports shows what can be achieved with resilience and determination.
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class (Ret.) Maria Edwards
Maria is a Navy veteran and adaptive sports athlete competing in the Warrior Games after more than two decades of military service. After joining the Navy in 2001, Maria honorably served for 22 years as an information systems technician and leading petty officer, working as the key management infrastructure manager on multiple ships.
Maria’s recovery journey, like many of her fellow veterans, has been long and challenging, but she cites Wounded Warrior Project as an invaluable source of support. Through adaptive sports like rock climbing, Maria found a way to push past her injuries and regain strength, both physically and mentally.
Today, Maria participates in a variety of adaptive sports, including field events like shot put and discus, indoor rowing, track, and sitting volleyball. Her favorites are track and sitting volleyball, as they reignite the love for sports Maria enjoyed in high school and the joy of running before her injuries.
The camaraderie of fellow athletes and coaches has been a constant source of inspiration, too, helping Maria embrace the limitless possibilities. “Adaptive sports have helped me in so many ways,” Maria says. “I have been able to have more range of motion by not being afraid to push myself. I am being more active, and my attitude on life has changed a lot.”
WARRIOR SPOTLIGHTS
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class (Ret.) Maria Edwards
Maria is a Navy veteran and adaptive sports athlete competing in the Warrior Games after more than two decades of military service. After joining the Navy in 2001, Maria honorably served for 22 years as an information systems technician and leading petty officer, working as the key management infrastructure manager on multiple ships.
Maria’s recovery journey, like many of her fellow veterans, has been long and challenging, but she cites Wounded Warrior Project as an invaluable source of support. Through adaptive sports like rock climbing, Maria found a way to push past her injuries and regain strength, both physically and mentally.
Today, Maria participates in a variety of adaptive sports, including field events like shot put and discus, indoor rowing, track, and sitting volleyball. Her favorites are track and sitting volleyball, as they reignite the love for sports Maria enjoyed in high school and the joy of running before her injuries.
The camaraderie of fellow athletes and coaches has been a constant source of inspiration, too, helping Maria embrace the limitless possibilities. “Adaptive sports have helped me in so many ways,” Maria says. “I have been able to have more range of motion by not being afraid to push myself. I am being more active, and my attitude on life has changed a lot.”
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class (Ret.) Henry Escobedo
From soldier to adaptive sports champion, Henry paved his own road to recovery through sheer dogged determination. Growing up, Henry was always active in sports, but after 9/11, Henry wanted to give back to his country and joined the Army. He served as an 11C indirect infantry fireman and was deployed to Germany in 2003 and Iraq in 2010.
During his service, Henry suffered multiple concussions, leading to significant vision problems. Three months after his second deployment, Henry's vision deteriorated dramatically, causing significant impairment in his right eye. After years of medical treatment and genetic testing, he was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy — a diagnosis that marked a turning point in his life. Losing his military career and active lifestyle pushed Henry into a deep depression, and, as many injured veterans do, he wanted to numb the pain. He turned to alcohol. Thankfully, Henry found hope through adaptive sports, rediscovering his passion for living a healthy lifestyle.
Henry engaged Wounded Warrior Project nearly a decade ago. WWP offered educational and experiential programs and resources that boosted his confidence. Adaptive sports transformed Henry's life. Henry’s story is one of overcoming adversity and finding purpose through sports and community support. His journey from a struggling soldier to a champion in adaptive sports shows what can be achieved with resilience and determination.
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Team: Army
Greg Quarles
Sports: Army Coach
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Greg Quarles
Greg is a retired U.S. Army Ranger whose unwavering determination has led him to compete at the highest levels of adaptive sports. Greg served for more than two decades in the Army and was injured in an incident – shot and blown up, as he describes – in 2012. Facing a daunting recovery process after surgeries, Greg found purpose and healing through adaptive sports after spending time at a Soldier Recovery Unit in 2014.
He is coaching Team Army for the second year in a row at Warrior Games, a perfect fit for a veteran who has competed in the prestigious games three times. He has also represented Team USA in the Invictus Games twice. Greg credits Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) as being instrumental in his journey, opening doors to a supportive network of fellow veterans and new opportunities. WWP introduced him to adaptive sports, reigniting his competitive spirit and providing a path forward. He first embraced cycling, and despite initial doubts, soon found himself outpacing able-bodied athletes.
Adaptive sports also provided a path to physical and mental recovery, reminding him that regardless of injury or illness, anything is achievable. “After injuries, you think, ‘Oh, my life is over.’ But it’s not,” Greg says. “[Adaptive sports] give us a new way of thinking and a new approach. We can be active. We can be competitive.”
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Team: Army
Henry Escobedo
Sports: Cycling, Field, Rowing, Swimming, Track
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class (Ret.) Henry Escobedo
From soldier to adaptive sports champion, Henry paved his own road to recovery through sheer dogged determination. Growing up, Henry was always active in sports, but after 9/11, Henry wanted to give back to his country and joined the Army. He served as an 11C indirect infantry fireman and was deployed to Germany in 2003 and Iraq in 2010.
During his service, Henry suffered multiple concussions, leading to significant vision problems. Three months after his second deployment, Henry's vision deteriorated dramatically, causing significant impairment in his right eye. After years of medical treatment and genetic testing, he was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy — a diagnosis that marked a turning point in his life. Losing his military career and active lifestyle pushed Henry into a deep depression, and, as many injured veterans do, he wanted to numb the pain. He turned to alcohol. Thankfully, Henry found hope through adaptive sports, rediscovering his passion for living a healthy lifestyle.
Henry engaged Wounded Warrior Project nearly a decade ago. WWP offered educational and experiential programs and resources that boosted his confidence. Adaptive sports transformed Henry's life. Henry’s story is one of overcoming adversity and finding purpose through sports and community support. His journey from a struggling soldier to a champion in adaptive sports shows what can be achieved with resilience and determination.