ABC-7 invites viewers to special soldier homecoming tonight
ABC-7 received an email from a Fort Bliss soldier, stationed in Afghanistan, who is returning to El Paso Monday night after suffering an injury when his vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED).
He had a special request.
Staff Sergeant Jaime De La Paz of the 3-1 Cavalry wrote: “I will be returning home to Fort Bliss and my family will be there to greet me and give me the greatest homecoming gift of meeting my newborn daughter for the first time. But my soldier, Corporal Mario Bravo, will be going home to no family and all our friends are still in Afghanistan completing the mission. So I think we need to give this first time deployed but wounded warrior the welcome home of a hero that he is.”
Soldier homecomings, especially those that are a surprise, are often as emotional as that popular Budweiser commercial. After all, they all deserve a hero’s welcome.
The newsroom at ABC-7 was touched when Staff Sergeant De La Paz wrote, asking for our help getting that hero’s welcome for Corporal Bravo.
Corporal Bravo recently posted on Facebook recently: “I suffered another concussion the other day and luckily myself and four other soldiers with me in the explosion are all okay. But since this is my third traumatic brain injury the Army has decided to send me home. Although I am happy to be returning to my family in one piece, I can’t help but feel sad. I am going to miss all my brothers from 3rd platoon. Fighting by your side has truly been an honor and a real highlight of my life.”
But corporal bravo’s family is in Florida and there won’t be anyone waiting to see him get off the plane Monday night. Unless … That’s where ABC-7 viewers come in.
Staff Sergeant De La Paz wants you to give Corporal Bravo a homecoming like he’s expecting.
“You can’t help but feel that sense of pride and patriotism and of course you feel that sense of emotion because these events remind us of the moments that our service members miss while they’re away and the moments they experience when they come home are very important,” said Robert Medrano, program manager for the El Paso USO. “All of our service members definitely deserve that treatment.”
Corporal Bravo and Staff Sergeant De La Paz are scheduled to arrive between 9 and 10 Monday night at Biggs Field. ABC-7 would like to invite viewers to be there. To be part of this very special soldier homecoming, go to the Biggs Field gate and they will direct you to the deployment and arrival center.
