How Recreational Therapy and Winter Sports Saved a Veteran’s Life
When he left the service in 2014 after four tours in Iraq, where he suffered three traumatic brain injuries, Hernandez Rivera struggled with his mental health, as well as a speech impediment, balance, and hearing issues. He turned to alcohol, feeling defeated and alone. He was in a rough place in 2016 when, on the advice of his primary care doctor, he first met with John Schmeink, a VA recreational therapist at Jefferson Barracks. Recreational therapy, his doctor explained, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Hector Hernandez Rivera, who served 14 years in uniform, didn’t start recreational therapy at VA St. Louis Health Care System in 2016 to be a model for others. Instead, he was on the edge of “quitting life.”
was a program designed to help Veterans with, among other things, traumatic brain injuries. “When I first met John,” said Hernandez Rivera, “he didn’t know I was already set. That I was going to end it, just be gone. But he had this genuine energy to willingly help and care. I remember he asked, ‘Do you ski?’ Hernandez Rivera chuckled, adding he was Hispanic and born in Puerto Rico (not exactly known for snowfall). Still, he was willing to give it a try. Schmeink told Hernandez Rivera that he believed he’d be a good candidate for the
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic (WSC) in Snowmass, Colo., where each year, Veterans with disabilities learn adaptive sports, including Alpine and Nordic skiing, sled hockey, and rock climbing. But competition was fierce, and each Veteran had to be selected. The clock was ticking, and the WSC applications were due that day. Hernandez Rivera explained that Schmeink went above and beyond to get his application accepted to the program, even chasing down his doctors to do a last-minute physical. He also enrolled Hernandez Rivera at Hidden Valley Ski Resort in nearby Wildwood to learn the basics. “John kept unknowingly postponing my plans,” Hernandez Rivera said, “Winter sports clinic was going to be the last straw if I wasn’t accepted, but then I got in. And I’m so grateful and blessed to know he did that for me. Everything in my whole life changed. ” Due to his balance issues, Hernandez Rivera found learning to ski challenging. “If I closed my eyes, I would fall. But it’s just getting out there, getting a little education, and just the environment -- everybody else helping, helping us out.” He attributes the positive attitude of Lyle, his ski instructor, for teaching him the basics and preparing him for Colorado. “The floor became my friend the first day. But it was fun learning something new. And then you get all excited. This was fun! It was almost like winning some tournament -- that kind of feeling.” Most of all, the encouragement Schmeink and the instructors at Snowmass provided pushed him to excel during his first National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in 2016 and throughout multiple winter clinics.
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