Going for the gold

Diego Suazo was a firefighters in the Navy, spending his four-year tour on the west coast of the United States.

But a shooting on New Year's Eve in 1996 changed his life.

Now, the 36-year-old Surprise resident is a paraplegic who uses a wheelchair to get around.

That hasn't slowed him down in his quest to be a competitive athlete.

Suavo, along with three other paralyzed veterans from the Phoenix area, Diane Brunswick of Glendale, Dan Koston of Phoenix and John Tuzzolino of Ahwatukee, will represent the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System at the 28th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. The event is July 25-28 in Omaha and features more than 500 athletes, all military veterans, from the U.S., Puerto Rico and Great Britain. The event is the largest annual wheelchair sports event in the world, and athletes compete in 17 events including quad rugby, slalom, archery and basketball.

Suazo will compete in basketball, trap shooting, softball and weightlifting.

He served in the Navy from 1990 to 1994. While attending a New Year's Eve party in 1996, "at the wrong place, at the wrong time," he said, he was shot in the back, which instantly paralyzed him.

That began Suazo's journey to what he calls "getting back to a new normal."

Suazo said he played sports during high school and weightlifted since he was 14.

"Being in a chair is different," Suazo said. "I can't do the same things as I did previously."

For recreation, Suazo is a member of the Roadrunners wheelchair basketball team, which is based in Surprise. He also works out several times a week in his home gym and can bench press about 300 pounds.

Suazo said he spends his time volunteering and has full-time custody of his 13-year-old son.

This is his first wheelchair games competition.

Members of the board of the Arizona Chapter of Paralyzed Veterans of America encouraged him to try it for the past couple of years.

"It's a great rehab tool," said the organization's vice president, Gordon Moye.

Suazo agrees.

"It's a learning tool and helps mentally and physically," Suazo said.

Lori Myrick, a physical therapist with the Veteran's Hospital in Phoenix, said involving paralyzed veterans in sports is a great way to motivate rehabilitation.

"It takes a lot of practice (learning to use a wheelchair)," Myrick said. "And sports keeps them motivated, because using a chair makes their balance and gravity different."

Paula Pedene, public affairs officer with the Veterans Administration, said that the VA Medical Center is sponsoring the four Phoenix-area athletes at the games.

In turn, they were asked to provide community education, a task that they all exceeded sometimes by 10 times the required hours.

"For the community, it's nice to see their efforts in action," Pedene said.

For information on the games, visit www.wheelchairgames.org.