LCpl Salvador “Sal” Gonzalez Jr.

Nolensville, TN

Salvador “Sal” Gonzalez Jr. enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 2003, motivated by the events of September 11, 2001. He chose to be Infantry to “get into the fight.”

On October 31, 2004, Lance Corporal Gonzalez was serving as a machine gunner with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Regiment in Iraq when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device (IED). He sustained severe injuries resulting in the amputation of his left leg below the knee, right leg nerve damage, back injuries, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

He was medically evacuated to Al Assad Airbase, where he was placed in a medically induced coma before transferring to Landstuhl, Germany. Stateside, he underwent more than thirty limb salvage surgeries at Brooke Army Medical Center and spent more than a year in rehabilitation learning to walk using his prosthetic.

Sal and his wife, Christy, are parents to two children. Salis a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who performs throughout the area, including charity concerts supporting Veterans and military families.

Originally from California, Sal is choosing to build his home in Tennessee, where he currently resides.

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