Courtesy Photo | U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez (center), raises his arms in celebrations with...... read more read more
For U.S. Air Force Veteran Salvador Vasquez, the https://bit.ly/4tKD0X3 is about more than just skiing, it’s about reclaiming strength and confidence after devastating injuries.
Now in his fourth year attending the clinic, the Gulf War Veteran continues to push his limits in new ways. This year, that challenge meant skiing without ski poles, something he had depended on in previous years for balance and stability.
“My instructors said, ‘We don’t have any polls for you,’ and I was like…what?!” Vasquez said with a laugh. “But sometimes you’ve just got to just do through it. That’s how you get better.”
What may have started as a surprise quickly became a breakthrough. Without poles to lean on, Vasquez was encouraged to rely more on his legs, core strength, and body awareness.
The decision wasn’t accidental.
Before hitting the slopes, his instructors, Bruce Tubbs and Molly Nickel, reviewed his history and noticed a pattern: Vasquez often ended his runs early due to fatigue and back pain. To address that, they made a deliberate call to remove the poles and push him to engage his lower body more effectively.
“We needed him to connect with what his body is doing with what his legs are doing,” Tubbs explained. “By taking away the poles, he couldn’t rely on them for balance, so he had to use his legs more.”
Run after run, Vasquez began to find that connection, completing multiple descents without needing physical support.
“He’s building confidence every time,” Nickel added. “It’s working.”
That progress is especially significant given where his journey began. Vasquez suffered catastrophic injuries that left him questioning what his future would look like. He broke both legs, his pelvis, neck and ribs, with some injuries so severe they displaced bones through his skin.
“I never thought I’d be skiing,” Vasquez candidly said.
Through recreation therapy at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Vasquez was introduced to adaptive sports as part of his recovery. His first experience at the Winter Sports Clinic four years ago was anything but easy.
“That first year, it was tough,” Vasquez said candidly. “They started me out on a ski bike.”
Over time, with consistent effort and guidance, he progressed back onto skis, first with support, then with poles, and now without.
For Vasquez, adaptability isn’t just about equipment, it’s about mindset. Learning to trust his body again, to push through discomfort, and to accept challenges has been central to his growth.
“I’m glad Bruce and Molly are courageous enough with me to push me,” Vasquez said.
Beyond the physical gains, Vasquez says the clinic provides something just as important: connection.
“When you’re disabled, it’s hard to leave your home sometimes,” Vasquez said. “You get comfortable there. But when you come out here, you’re one with everybody, especially us Veterans.”
That sense of camaraderie mirrors the bonds he formed during his 22 years of military service.
“We don’t do this alone,” Vasquez said. “That’s how we get through things – together.”
From relying on a cane to walk to skiing independently down the mountain, Vasquez’s journey is a powerful reminder that progress often begins by approaching discomfort and choosing to keep going.
Veterans interested in participating in the 2027 Winter Sports Clinic can review qualifications and applications at https://bit.ly/4tKD0X3
| Date Taken: | 04.10.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2026 09:48 |
| Story ID: | 562562 |
| Location: | SNOWMASS, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | SAN FERNANDO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, From Injury to Independence: “I never thought I’d be skiing”, by 1LT Bailey Breving, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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