Navigating civilian life came with new challenges and a new mission for veterans Sazha Ramos and Ignacio Montoya, who both experienced traumatic injuries. For Ramos, it led her to a struggle with addiction. Montoya was left paralyzed from the chest down after a motorcycle accident.
Despite doctors telling Montoya he would never have mobility or sensation in his body again, he regained some movement through therapy and assistance from an exoskeleton. As for Ramos, she overcame her addiction more than a decade ago.
Both are now using their journeys to help the public, especially veterans. Ramos, a Navy veteran, serves as the vice president of veterans and military affairs at American Addiction Centers, and Montoya, a U.S. Air Force veteran, is a research scientist and is currently studying how to improve mobility for those who suffer from paralysis.
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