Miami County Liberty and Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) invite you to our annual dinner honoring the men and women who have served our country. Join veterans, military families, and neighbors at the Miami Valley Veterans Museum for an evening of good food, good company, and gratitude. Dinner is complimentary, and our guest speaker, Ryan Garza, will share remarks as we honor those who have served.
Ryan Garza is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran, amputee, and advocate whose life has been defined by resilience, recovery, and a mission to inspire others through his story.
Ryan Garza was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, and joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 21 He served four tours in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, where he was exposed to multiple IED blasts
On October 3, 2011, during a fourth deployment, Garza was in a seven‑ton truck when an IED blast badly injured his leg He spent over a year at the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia recovering from the shattered leg and a traumatic brain injury. Despite medical efforts to save the limb, by 2015 he and his doctors determined it was better off amputated. Garza chose the surgery date — Friday the 13th — as a symbolic step toward reclaiming his life
Five months after the amputation, Garza was climbing a 14,000‑foot mountain in Colorado with No Barriers USA
However, in 2016 he experienced another profound loss when a Marine friend died by suicide, leaving him with deep guilt A Thanksgiving day act of giving food to the homeless became a turning point, lifting his spirit and inspiring him to help other veterans
Garza now lives in Colorado Springs, CO, receiving care at the PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Clinic He is working on a book, Disturbed Earth: My Journey from Guilt to Forgiveness, to share his experiences and inspire others
He actively participates in Wounded Warrior events and adaptive sports, including snowboarding at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Aspen
Garza’s story is one of perseverance, hope, and purpose — transforming trauma into advocacy, and using his journey to show that “anything is possible”