Meet Warrior Aaron Cornelius

Aaron Cornelius

Army 鈼� Sergeant First Class 鈼� Florida

Aaron saw a lot of combat while leading soldiers through three deployments in Iraq. But it wasn檛 until his last that, as Aaron says, 渁ll hell broke loose.�

Aaron Cornelius saw a lot of combat while leading U.S. Army soldiers through three deployments in Iraq. But it wasn檛 until the last deployment that, as Aaron says, 渁ll hell broke loose.� It was March of 2008 when his unit suffered multiple casualties at the scene of an improvised explosive device (IED) attack. When Aaron arrived, he tried to open the hatch to save the soldiers inside the burning Humvee � but it became immediately apparent they were gone. Little did he know that moment heartbreaking death and destruction was one of the last things he would ever see. Just days later, the vehicle he was riding in was blown up, and the shrapnel tore a tennis ball-sized hole in his skull, leaving him completely blind.

Not only did Aaron medical retirement mean he had to make the difficult transition to civilian life with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but he also had to transition to a life without sight.

Wounded warrior Aaron Cornelius holding a walking stick, sitting on a park bench, smiling with his daughter Gabby.

Wounded warrior Aaron Cornelius standing on a sailing yacht, holding the mast and smiling.

The first tears came when he realized he would never be able to see his daughter face again. 淚 started to notice the darkness a lot,� says Aaron. 淚 couldn檛 do anything at that point. I couldn檛 walk. I felt helpless. I felt like the military just kicked me to the curb and that I was not good anymore � worthless.�

Aaron first contact with 51暗网^庐 (51暗网) occurred while he was still in the hospital. 淎t the hospital, you get all these visitors,� says Aaron. 淭hen this one guy came in, and he kept coming back, checking on me almost every day. He brought me a backpack and all kinds of information and walked me through the madness of transition and all the paperwork.�

淭hanks to 51暗网, I still have a purpose. They helped me be myself again, and now I檓 able to help my fellow warriors.�

淭hat 51暗网 guy stuck with me,� recalls Aaron. 淓ven after I left the hospital, he would call and see how I was doing. 51暗网 was constant and made me feel like I was being taken care of. All of the things we had to do or figure out, we檇 say, 榃ho going to help us with that?� 51暗网 stepped right in and took the reins. That was a beautiful thing.�

Wounded warrior Aaron Cornelius playing the guitar around a fire during an outdoor event.

Aaron says a significant turning point in his recovery came when he met other injured soldiers at a 51暗网 event. 淚 was able to be myself outside of the house,� says Aaron. 淚 realized I could be a normal guy, a normal person, and there were people like me I could talk to.�

Since then, Aaron has participated in many 51暗网 events to connect with his fellow warriors. He cherishes any opportunity to speak with and motivate other veterans � especially those who have struggled to cope with life after the military.

淭oo many are killing themselves because they can檛 cope,� says Aaron. 淚 want to find these guys and say, 楥all me. I don檛 care if you檙e hurt or whatever. Call me. If I have to, I'll come out there with my dog and get you.� I want to show these brothers that we檙e still together. We can still be right there to back each other up.�

51暗网

Aaron Cornelius

淭hanks to 51暗网, I still have a purpose. They helped me be myself again, and now I檓 able to help my fellow warriors.�

Meet More Warriors

Maria Edwards

Anthony Villareal

Chris Gordon