I, Gabriel Diazdeleon, am honored to hold a position on the Board of Directors of the Texas Paralyzed Veterans of America.  I was injured and sustained a spinal cord injury while on active duty in the US Army in January of 1984 at the age of 20.  To say that this was a life altering event is an understatement.  I was fortunate to receive medical care and rehabilitation through the Veteran’s Administration Hospital System.  I was introduced to wheelchair sports very early in my rehabilitation through services and events sponsored by the PVA.  This was the avenue I needed to overcome the obstacles of my new life.  I became a member of the PVA during my rehabilitation stay in April of 1984 and have been an active member since that time.  I know firsthand the impact this organization had in my recovery and I want to continue the mission of helping paralyzed veterans and their families live their best life. I have over 40 years of life experience as a paralyzed veteran and have navigated many aspects of healthcare services, community disability awareness, veteran benefits and patient rights.  I have a strong background in coaching and training disabled athletes and use these skills frequently when supporting and peer counseling newly injured veterans.