SGT Mario Lopez

New Braunfels, TX

Mission Accomplished on June 5, 2020

Mario Lopez was in high school when he watched the twin towers fall during the 9/11 attacks. Angered by the events, he enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating in 2003, joining the 68th Engineer Company as a truck driver.

He deployed to Iraq in 2005 and to Afghanistan in 2008. On Aug. 13, four months into his second tour, Sergeant Lopez was on a mission when his vehicle drove over an improvised explosive device (IED). He sustained burns to over 50 percent of his body; the loss of his right arm and four fingers on his left hand; severe damage to his feet; and the loss of his sight in his right eye.

Stateside, he spent two months in a medically induced coma. Upon waking, he had to relearn how to walk and underwent multiple surgeries to reconstruct his face, left hand, and right foot.

Mario and his wife, Danielle, have four children. Mario has turned his experiences of injury and recovery into art. His artwork is displayed at art events and shows nationwide. He and Danielle also co-authored the book, How I know: A Story to Strengthen Your Faith.

In their previous non-adapted home, Mario was unable to enjoy the outdoors with his four children because the rocky terrain around the yard made it difficult for him to maintain his balance. His specially adapted custom HFOT home provides an ideal environment for him to focus on his family, art, and future.

A native Texan, Mario chose to remain in the Lone Star State to be close to family and medical care.

Mario would like to thank HFOT donors and supporters for their generosity. “Any donation, no matter the amount, means the world to me as it has helped provide a more independent living and financially secure future for me and my family.”

Ver: 11-25

related articles:

  • Community Impact Newspaper, Feb. 17, 2020 – SGT Mario Lopez and his family received a check for their new home in Vintage Oaks at an event Feb. 14. at the Smoothie King at 1659 SH 46W, New Braunfels.
  • News 4 San Antonio, Nov. 16, 2019 – The house just outside of New Braunfels doesn’t look like much now. Just a frame with a roof and dirt in the yard. But for the man who nearly gave his life for this country, it means everything.