Photo By Sgt. Jessica Quezada | Gunnery Sgt. P. Ernesto Aquino gives his gold medal he won at the 2014 Warrior Games...... read more read more
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Wounded Warriors of the All-Marine Team competing in the 2014 Warrior Games all have unique stories, but one Marine decided to share his experience a little bit more with the staff and students of Homan Elementary.
Gunnery Sgt. P. Ernesto Aquino from Hawthorne, Calif., is one of the many athletes to compete in the games from Sep. 28 to Oct. 4 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Earlier this year, Aquino competed in The 2014 Marine Corps Trials where he received four medals.
During the trials, Librarian Renee Swetlik sent “thank you” letters written by Homan Elementary students to Operation Gratitude. These letters were placed in care packages for the Wounded Warriors and sent more than enough support to our Marines.
“These men and women are such an inspiration. We just wanted to say thank you, to encourage him and to show him what an inspiration he is to all of us here,” said Renee Swetlik, Homan Elementary Librarian and media specialist. “He could have easily given up so many times and he never did. We kept telling him we’re sending him our lucky wishes … I had no idea just how big of an impact we could be … Its been such a learning lesson for myself and the kids…when I think that the story can’t get any bigger, better or more exciting, it does.”
On March 8, Swetlik received her first email from Aquino stating how much he truly appreciated the care package and that the “hero” letter was certainly the icing on the cake.
“From the moment that I read that letter, it was just a few simple words, but it changed my life … It was quite a bit to take in,” said Aquino. “It boosted my ego and gave me encouragement and as a matter of fact, I got the letter and put it at the top of my bunk bed, so I can see it every night until the trials were over.”
From then on, Homan students cheered on Aquino, wished him the best of luck for every competition and helped him bring home a bronze medal for air rifle shooting, two silver medals in swimming and one gold medal for the 50-meter backstroke swim.
“The school did so much for me, this teacher did so much for me, I’m just going to go ahead and do something for them,” said Aquino. “So I took my gold medal and wrote them a letter.”
Staff and students were awestruck when they received the letter with the special gift inside, Aquino’s gold medal. And the young boy who wrote Aquino, received his own silver medal as well.
“When I open opened the letter and it (Aquino’s gold medal) fell out, I was shaking, I couldn’t believe he would share something that special with us,” said Swetlike. “All the kids took turns holding it. After everybody had a chance to hold it … we took it to be framed because we wanted it to have a place of honor in the library … so the kids could see it and remember how important it is to be kind and how important it is to not give up. It now sits in a very special place in the library with red, white and blue ribbons, we’re so proud of it.”
Homan Students were photographed holding the gold medal and Aquino’s story quickly spread across the community.
“To see that great photograph of them holding my gold medal, my gift to them, I can’t even begin to tell you the emotions I started feeling because of this,” said Aquino.
After receiving the gold medal, Swetlik requested Aquino’s address to send the community newspaper clippings of his story, so he could have to cherish. A large box came in filled rim to rim with letters from every single student of Homan Elementary for Aquino, saying thank you for everything. Even the kindergartners who could barely write, tried their best to send their appreciation.
“I didn’t think anything of it, until I got the package in the mail and it just surprised me. I couldn’t believe every single student from Homan Elementary took the time to write me … It has been an overwhelming experience,” said Aquino. “I’m going to try my best and there’s a lot of people behind me, not just friends and family, but now an entire community and city that I didn’t event know.”
The week of the 2014 Warrior Games gave Aquino another chance to take home the gold. On Sep. 30, after a long day of swim competitions against the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Special Operations Command, Aquino won two gold medals and one silver medal.
“Compared to last year, I did incredibly well,” said Aquino. “Renee emailed me the night before the competition and said, ‘you have 550 elementary school students cheering you on.’ I could feel in my bones that the Homan students and staff were behind me.”
The support from Homan staff and students has been a huge encouragement for Aquino’s journey through the trials and Warrior Games. During the family reception for the 2014 Warrior Games, Aquino met a young boy who he believed deserved the same gift he gave Homan Elementary.
“Stetson Bardfield was born with some joint dysfunctions in his legs and arms, and had to get his legs amputated at the age of four ...his story touched my heart as a father … at the reception, we ended up talking for at least two hours,” said Aquino. “Yesterday I ended up meeting the family at the Olympic Training Center and presented Stetson with my gold medal …my very first gold medal I’ve won in the games.”
Gunnery Sgt. P. Ernesto Aquino is just one of the many Wounded Warriors who strive to leave a lasting impact, whether it’s for fellow service members and veterans, or the nation that supports them.
“It goes to show that the American public these days are very supportive … I’m just doing my job, but to them, we’re doing more … we’re protecting the nation,” said Aquino.
On Aquino’s final day of competition, he won a gold and silver medal for air rifle shooting, surpassing his performance in the previous trials just six months ago. For the next trials and Warrior Games, Aquino remains confident in taking home more gold medals and hopes to reach out to anyone he can share his experience, success and winnings with.
“It goes back to when I was a child. I grew up in Central America and you learn that whatever you have you share it with everybody … you never see yourself above anybody else. Helping out has been in my blood since the beginning,” said Aquino. “To me there’s nothing greater than to give something back … hopefully the young man can carry this forward and I’m pretty sure that Homan Elementary will do the same thing … our generation continue to to give back, not just to the community but to the whole world.”
To learn more about Gunnery Sgt. Aquino’s story and the 2014 Warrior Games, please contact WWR_PAO@USMC.MIL and visit www.facebook.com/wwr.usmc
| Date Taken: | 10.03.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.03.2014 16:42 |
| Story ID: | 144252 |
| Location: | COLORADO SPRINGS , CO, US |
| Hometown: | DALLAS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | DYER, IN, US |
| Hometown: | FARMERS BRANCH, TX, US |
| Hometown: | FORT CARSON, CO, US |
| Hometown: | HAWTHORNE, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SCHERERVILLE, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 554 |
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