Retired marine vet walks more than 200 miles for comrades in Wounded Warriors Project
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Retired Marine Corps Vet Nick Perales is on a mission sprouted out of a passion for bringing awareness and giving back. Currently, he is walking with a purpose carrying a 50-pound rucksack on his back.
"(I'm doing it) to raise awareness but more importantly to inspire people to take action, start achieving more in life, push themselves get a little uncomfortable," he said. "More importantly (I'm doing it) to support our vets support, our wounded warriors support their families."
He's carrying the bag pack to represent the tough and heavy burden that vets and their families carry daily.
On Tuesday, ABC13 Anchor Mayra Moreno spoke to Perales, who was 20 miles into his 205-mile trip, on the side of the road in Houston.
He will be walking for 11 days to reach the Center for the Intrepid, a facility that treats amputees and burn victims, at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
After stepping on a bomb in Afghanistan, it was there that he had multiple operations to save his left leg and extensive rehab for two and a half years. Still, he is on this mission because his life spiraled out of control soon after.
"I was bound to a wheelchair. I lost sight of who I was as a man, as a marine. I felt hopeless and became addicted to narcotics," he said.
He was 240 lbs. in a wheelchair and abusing alcohol to sleep. It took him a while to finally reclaim his life and fight for a purpose.
"I started putting all my effort, and attention to becoming the best version of me so I can help as many people (as possible) around me get through that difficult situation I was once in," he said.
This is a big challenge, but he's doing it with his fellow wounded veterans in mind.
The company C4 is sponsoring him, and they too have teamed up with the Wounded Warrior Project to put this mission into motion.
"So C4 has pledged to donate half a million dollars to WWP through this campaign," he said. "I'm willing to do what it takes to raise awareness and support the overall mission."
You can donate to the Wounded Warrior Project here.
Watch: ABC13 caught up with Nick as he neared the end of his journey
For news updates, follow Mayra Moreno on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
