All gave some and some gave all, Andrea and Rodrigo gave a leg.
Andrea, a Marine herself, met Rodrigo when her cousin came up to Baltimore to visit a friend of his from the Marine Corps who was in the hospital recovering from injuries sustained in Afghanistan. Andrea decided to join her cousin on his visit, and that friend turned out to be Rodrigo. At the time the only part of his body Rodrigo could move was an arm, everything else was incapacitated in some way. They laughed when they described that first meeting because Rodrigo actually ended up yelling at Andrea because she had accidentally bumped one of his incapacitated limbs. Andrea was not deterred though and continued returning to see him. Since then these two have been together, only separated when Andrea was sent to Afghanistan, thankfully she returned unharmed and they are now planning a wedding for next summer.
I have had the pleasure to meet so many fun and wonderful couples, but I'll be honest, none have moved me the way these two have. Their story is unforgettable to say they least, and clearly their experiences have given them an amazing perspective on life and love. If I had to pick a word to describe their interactions it would be cherished, you can tell they make every moment together count.
Rodrigo has a segway from the Segs4Vets program to help him get around long distances easier. For more information about this program, or to make a donation visit their website at http://www.segs4vets.org/.
For additional information about about how to support our wounded vets and/or to make a donation please visit the Wounded Warrior Project at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Andrea and Rodrigo, thank you so much for service!
Congratulations on your engagement, I have no doubt you will have a long and happy life together!