8
2013
No Guts, No Glory: David Wright and a Wounded Combat Veteran Named Felix
An article by 
In the following video you’ll find a touching story about the bond third baseman David Wright has forged with a disabled Iraqi war veteran named Felix, and how their relationship has grown over the years. The wheelchair bound veteran tells an inspiring story of what his United States flag means to him and the role it has played during his tours when he carried it in the deserts of Iraq and how it made its way into the clubhouse after Team USA pulled out a dramatic comeback to clinch a spot in the semi-final round during the 2009 WBC.
Mets third baseman David Wright drove in the game winning run in that game with a walk-off hit to clinch the victory for Team USA. After the game, combat veteran Felix, a die-hard Met fan, shared in the celebration as Team USA all signed his flag for him.
Hat tip to Kay for the link.
About the Author: Joe DeCaro
I'm a lifelong Mets fan who loves writing and talking about the Amazins' 24/7. From the Miracle in 1969 to the magic of 1986, and even the near misses in '73 and '00, I've experienced it all - the highs and the lows. I started Mets Merized Online in 2005 to feed my addiction. Follow me on Twitter @metsmerized.
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Great video.
Read the story this morning that went along with this.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/mets-baseman-wright-classic-friendship-war-veteran-article-1.1259723
Reads like Felix and Wright are good friends now. Friendship sometimes starts in the least expected circumstances.
I was originally going to post this on MMO, but decided against it.
I was at the VA Hospital earlier this week. I stood on line to check in at the PTSD clinic, it’s just a small office with a guy named John who calls the doctors to let them know their patients have arrived for their appointments.
This day was different because their was a young guy dressed in his army fatigues in front of me. I thought that was odd because the Army base, Fort Hamilton, which is practically next door have their own facilities. Anyway, there’s no door to this office and you can hear everything that’s being discussed from the line outside the door.
Well when this soldier stepped up, John says you’re not in our system and the I could hear the guy break down and start crying, saying “can somebody help me please.” John, said don’t worry and he escorted him to the waiting room three doors down where we wait after we check in. The therapists then come and call us when they are ready to see us.
I walked in and saw this guy still visibly messed up and eyes swollen with tears and I put my arm around him and told him it was going to be okay and he was at the right place. I saw his name was Rivera from the tag on the chest of his uniform.
I asked him why he came and why didn’t he go see one of the medics in his unit or speak to his CO. He said he was ashamed to and didn’t want his unit to think less of him. I completely understood the situation and he didn’t have to say anymore.
Another vet came into the room sporting a Yankee cap. He took a seat and asked me if they had a mailbox somewhere. I jokingly said I’d normally tell you where you could find one but that hat your wearing precludes me from doing so and we all started laughing including Rivera.
Turns out he’s a Mets fan and we started talking and he kept mentioning R.A. Dickey a few times and asked if he won the Cy Young. So I told him, I guess you don’t know that the Mets traded him? He snapped out of his stupor and said what about Wright do we still have him? I said yes, Dickey was the only one we lost and we got a good return for him. He thought the world of Wright. We talked Mets for about 5 more minutes when two therapists finally came in, both with concerned and caring looks, and both for him. And as they led him out the waiting room Rivera turned to me and thanked me. “I forgot what it was like to feel real again, thanks for that.”
Pretty sure I’ll never see Rivera again, but for the rest of the day and evening I couldn’t stop thinking about the horrors he must have seen to bring him there that day. I hope they did the right thing and helped him, but the truth is I’ll never know.
Wow Joe, you really should turn this into a post. What a warming experience.
America has failed so miserably on this front, you would think we would have learned a thing or two from Vietnam. The cost justification to send these people in is not a issue, but god forbid we add more to the deficit to take care of them when they get back. Thank you for sharing Joe.
My kids are shocked every year when I show them the stats of how many of our homeless in the US are veterans. Amazing.
I got a good buddy that was army special forces and was in Yugoslavia when shit went down and was injured the wrong side of Korea. He also has other back shoulder injuries from a copter crash. All they want to do is give pills. Only as of late do they seem a little better on the mental front but solders need to seek it out in a environment where that is thought of as week. It’s such a brutal situation for these guys our military needs to be proactive in these situations.
As for my brother-in-law in the marines he saw some Iraq time and other fun places and we are so thankful he wasn’t put into situations that these guys are facing. People need to wake up and understand what these people do it’s not the friggen movies.
Agreed. I feel like as a social studies teacher that part of my job, teaching them about things like this, is very important. So Alex, I am not just a bad coach
And studies show that SOCOM operators statistically suffer from PTSD much less than the average soldier.
Something to do with the training and a regulation of heartbeat during combat that helps to keep them from having issues with heightened anxiety and dealing with stressful situations.
Perhaps we should try and see what it is that helps those guys cope and make it part of standard training.
My Committee helps Vets in the Mid Hudson valley which is mostly Rural and not very high in population….
We get at least three Vets a month facing Eviction and three who are outright homeless by the time they get to us….
and these are guys the VA refersto us when they have exhausted all the normal government support programs.
Its just rediculous how badly this government has prepared to bring these guys home.
I could not agree more, Salty.
I get to work with a lot of Vets and this story is not unique at all…
Just about every Vet that comes to my group suffers in some way with PTSD. Even one of our Committee members suffers from it. And many of them have never admitted to the VA that they have problems all due to embarassment over it. Still trying to act the hero even after they are done fighting.
I’m no doctor …but me personally I think we need to stop calling it a disorder or make it seem like they are somehow ABNORMAL in some way…
What these guys are going through is NOT ABNORMAL! It is quite normal when the FACADE most of us live under is removed and you get to see just how awful the human race can be to each other and the REAL WORLD is revealed.
We are the ones who think normal is all about being happy, safe and picket fences…
We don’t live in the conditions these brave guys see where the guy your talking to can be bleeding all over you from one second to the next. Or someone is trying to kill you every second of every day.
And maybe if we didn’t treat them as if something is wrong with THEM, not only would they be forthcoming and get the help they need, perhaps they wouldn’t face the added hardships of not being able to find work due to some percieved DISORDER, and we would set the conditions to make them feel like they DO belong in society and are welcomed as opposed to seperated out and perpetuating thier feelings that they don’t belong anymore, they don’t FIT IN.
Our government has totally dropped the ball on these guys (and many others as well!)
We funded the violence but have never funded the fallout that comes after the battle!
Anyone with PTSD should be given a domestic base position with the immediate support right there that they need to transition them from Warrior to Citizen. You can’t just take a guy from an LZ and drop him back into this Fairy Tale world of society and expect him to adjust to it!
Ease him back and give him a chance to get the help that will make him feel useful and paid.
Then when the issue seems a little more under control find these guys a job so they don’t have to worry about eating on top of trying to integrate back into this fantasy we all live in.
While I agree, I would also assume it has been categorized as a disorder in many cases for insurance reasons?
Whatever the reason for the categorization it is working against the eventual cure…
Many of these guys feel they don’t belong in our society and we ENHANCE that feeling by deeming them unstable and dangerous!
They aren’t at all….
They have seen or done things that makes them feel outside of the society in which we live…
How many people in his neighborhood can say they killed someone?
How many have ever seen someone they know killed in front of them?
To say they are DIFFERENT only keeps them feeling that way.
In a sense THEY are Normal it’s the rest of us who are living in an UNREAL Mental state!
Most of the rest of the world doesn’t live in the world we live in…They live in the same world those Vets do!
Sad but true!
Spot on Metsie. Especially this “make him feel useful”. That seems to be a big hurdle to get over.
It’s the MOST important….
Between feeling Guilt for surviving where others did not…
Being denied a job because when they see MILITARY on thier record the first question asked is do you suffer from PTSD…
And no program to help them make the transition to civilian life.
Star Trek TNG had an episode about Warriors who were banished to some other moon because they were deemed too violent to integrate into society.
Thats pretty much what we are doing with these PTSD diagnoses…
I just find it odd we spend BILLIONS to make them Warriors but when it comes time to make them Citizens again all they get is someone to talk to and some pills!
I agree with all you say Metsie and to take it a step further (although this is about our Vets), the entire Mental Health awareness and care in this country is a total failure.
One thing though, I don’t think it’s legal to actually ask if someone suffers from PTSD (or any illness), not that the assumption isn’t made of course.
It may not be legal but even if it isn’t asked in those cases it most likely is assumed!
Too many guys come to us saying they can’t get a job due to being diagnosed with PTSD.
Shoprite is a major sponsor of my group and thankfully they have done the most of any company (local anyway) in getting these guys work and even giving those who admit to PTSD flexible scheduling and consideration whenever it is needed.
The problem is that while the jobs pay well it’s still considered a downgrade to go from a guy who operated millions dollar equipment and technology to pricing and carting fruit around a store!
These guys are highly trained and we should be able to do better for them.
Good points, Metsie.
Have to agree somewhat with trs though and the insurance industry in this country. Money first, people’s health and well being second.
Maybe what we need is to start giving Pills to this MONEY FIRST society instead of the guys who have issues fitting in with such stupidity!
In a sense I almost think we should re-institute the draft and make everyone serve…
Then no one will be JADED and all will see the reality of the world we live in meaning our Warriors will fit in when they return because everyone has been a warrior at some point and seen the same truth.
Such a heartbreaking story, Joe.
Absolute sin that any or our boys – or gals – over there should remotely be made to feel like less because of the horrors of what they’ve witnessed and might be having trouble dealing with it.
I would have hoped we’d come much farther than that. As a wife of a Viet Nam vet, almost no group of vets in our recent history were made to feel like dirt b/c they were involved in a war as those boys were. Most of them were drafted to boot.
These service men and women deserve all the support we can give – both while over there and on their return home.
On a small note, at least the boneheads in the gov. have exempted the VA in this latest sequestration budget mess and they will not be furloughed along with the rest of us.
Baseball though…the one constant that can be counted on to take us fans away from our own problems, at least for a few minutes. Glad you were able to talk to him and I sincerely hope he gets the help he deserves.
Thanks, Joe. David Wright makes me really proud to call myself a Mets fan.
The person who was banned has been unbanned because he wrote me and was contrite and apologetic. No need to make more of it. He’s a die-hard fan like all of us and considering the many second chances I’ve given others, I decided to offer him one too.
Well there is still 9 hours to keep that 1 a day avg going.
Hey, where my comment go???
To the corn fields of course.
Corn Fields? I even thanked joe d for doing what he’s been doing, but ok.
I’m sure he appreciates the words but sometimes he has to make an administrative decision to wipe the slate sort to speak.
Thank you, Alex. It didn’t go unnoticed.
I vote instad of calling them banned we name them chidren of the corn!
this.
It’s okay Alex… We’re going to get through this together… I deleted any comments regarding the ban because they were unnecessary. All is as it should be now. Can you feel the calm? Listen to the soft breeze.
Hahahaha sort of like when you bite into a York peppermint pattie?
Arthur, you just won a silver.
I didn’t mean to go off from what you were trying to send in the article, i just wanted to know that We appreciate you doing this and taking notice that it wasn’t us all the time that started the whole drama here you often blame us for. While it did get out of hand from time to time, most of the times we were defending ourselves. We salute you for that…
and I notice some big-time brown-nosing going on.
Insulting…
I thought he meant Alex? I was going to say that wasn’t fair because he really was trying to change.
To mundane ST baseball:
LAKELAND, Fla. (AP) Max Scherzer struck out six in 2 2-3 hitless innings Friday and the Detroit Tigers defeated the New York Mets 3-2.
Scherzer walked three. He was taken out after retiring the first two batters in the third inning.
Mets starter Dillon Gee allowed one hit in four innings. He gave up one run.
Tigers minor leaguer Tyler Collins hit a solo home run to break a tie in the eighth. The 22-year-old outfielder, who hasn’t played above Class A, leads the team with 10 hits this spring.
Jordany Valdespin homered for the Mets.
These people were not forced to put their lives on the line for our protection. They were not naive to what they were getting themselves involved in or had illusions of glory and marching bands and yet still volunteered to what could result in the ultimate sacrifice.
And yet I will never forgive the politicians who have the power to really help them and show they are not alone and forgotten and just give them lip service instead – unlike Joe, Metsie, David Wrightand so many others who give of their own time to help them deal with the horrors they went through. To you guys, no words of gratitude will ever be enough – and you put many of us to shame.
This brings up another reason why I have so little respect for the Mets front office. No guts should apply to them for being more concerned about getting on the wrong side of MLB and it’s contract with Nike that they ordered the players not to wear special hats to honor the first responders back in 2011 and went so far as to call the dugout to tell David to take his hat off.
It was this discussion about the shabby treatment given to vets that reminded me of the same type of treatment they got just in terms of comemorating them at Citi Field.
I don’t think you mean it to the degree I will reference – but I am always blown away when anybody tries to compare sports to war.
Hi Jessep,
With the conversation about how our returning vets are being ignored and the anger shared by all of us, it only seemed appropriate to mention the deplorable behavior of the front office on such solemn an occasion as the tenth anniversary of 9/11. It had nothing to do with sports as it was the slap in the face by the owners whose concern was with Nike instead of those and the families which serve our country, whether in the armed forces or as first responders at home.
There was no excuse for stooping so low ordering David to take off his cap honoring these people and reflective of the way they are treated by so many after their services are no longer required.
yeah sorry Joey, I don’t see the comparison at all. Returning veterans being ignored by a government that sends them to war (this is not something new), is in no way relatable to behavior of a front office in professional sports.
We can add as many little details as we want about the hat situation…your giving 100% blame to the owners when Joe Torre the EVP of MLB said “We just felt all the major leagues are honoring the same way with the American flag on the uniform and the cap. This is a unanimity thing.”
“They certainly understood and respected,” baseball’s decision, Torre said. “I certainly understood what they wanted to do in regards to wearing the hats. I used my history with the fact that we were in the World Series 10 years ago.”
So it’s the Wilpon’s fault 100% that MLB didn’t want them to do it? MLB didn’t have malicious intent, it was just a message they thought they were sending and they whiffed on it. It’s not like MLB or whomever said “screw those first responders!”
Have the Mets worn the hats in other instances? Yes. So you trying to connect veterans to wearing a baseball cap is totally out of bounds and is a stretch to try and bring the Wilpon’s into this.
I mean you’re really trying to tell me what? That the Wilpon’s do not honor veterans or the first responders or the 9/11 victims? If you’re really trying to say that – then you have no clue what you’re talking about.
Hi Jessep,
Am I trying to compare it to the horrible treatment that returning vets get today? Absolutely not and I think to infer that I am is not looking at the overall picture.
I am talking about character. One simple but symbolic gesture of respect in which one’s sense of priority was an over-reaction by MLB rather than allowing their players to make a personal show of appreciation for those who put their lives on the line for us.
Again, my point was to show the many forms of indifference our returning vets have to face – and as we have seen this applies to the heroes of 9/11 as well who have been denied benefits due to life threatening toxins. Indeed, the Met situation should in no way be compared to the points being raised by Joe D. but it should also be kept in mind that while it might seem as so minor to many one should also recall that heartbreaking story Joe D. told us about Riveria in which or so many even a simple gesture like allowing the Mets to wear those caps was indeed very important for them.
Don’t think for minute that what seem so inconsequential to most was just another in series of being treated that can make one in Riveria’s position feel “I forgot what it was like to feel real again”.
That is because nothing is too good enough for them as long as it doesn’t interfere with one’s business interests. It was for the Riveria’s that I felt compelled to say what I did about the behavior the Met organization displayed that night.
The attached is reflective of my feelings.
http://newyork.sbnation.com/new-york-mets/2011/9/11/2419092/new-york-mets-9-11-first-responders-hats-mlb-policy
Now, do you still think I have no clue to what I am talking about? Ask those like Mr. Riveria how they might have felt that night.
But Joey, you’re choosing to look at one moment – one very small moment that was blown up by the media and using it to describe the Wilpon’s character and you’re choosing to ignore the bigger picture.
Does the hat-gate debacle that MLB was a major part of take away the work the Wilpon’s have done for the first responders and their families for 10 years?
I get the hat thing, I wish they wore them too – but it’s not like they’ve never worn them. It’s not like the Wilpon’s haven’t done more than most for the victims and their families.
And to try and use the hat thing as a way to label the Wilpon’s as you do is quite frankly ridiculous. It’s a perfect example of trying to take half the story and make it bigger than it is.
You don’t like the Wilpon’s. Most fans do not like the owners of their teams. But don’t sit there and try to make them out to be bad people because you won’t get many who really know them to agree with you
Hi Jessep,
I did not hide the fact in my initial reply that I have little respect for the Mets front office and that I was indeed using this incident as an another example as to why.
But the only reason I brought this incident up was because this is a Met forum, the article was about David Wright and his personal relationship with a returning Vet and his deep feelings about their plight and then Joe D. expanding it to point out the shameless manner in which returning vets are subjected to.
So yes, it reminded me of that night and what had transpired. It reminded me of the anger so many felt when the news about the cap wearing was reported. Jeff Wilpon’s reaction ruined what was otherwise a most beautiful tribute to those of 9/11. The concern was over what would happen if the Met players who wanted to wore those hats in tribute to the first responders – and after knowing how the players felt about it, it this should not have been a concern at all.
The behavior that evening was an example of the indifference – of the turning a blind eye to the plight of our returning vets and first responders when it comes to having to put business matters aside for the moment. That was I found the just of Joe D.’s reply about the experience of Mr. Riveria and how heartbreaking his story was – the blind eye That indifference rears it’s ugly head only too often when politics and business is concerned.
With Jeff (if we go by that report this this was his call) it was a conflict of one’s business interests put ahead of those of whom were being remembered on such a solemn occasion.
No matter which side of the fence we come from, that is a fact.
But I admitted my own biases so that would again be out in the open and everyone would know I was aware of my inner feelings. I am sure it is not apparent that I had questioned myself how that could be affecting my judgement by over-doing it with what happened that evening. And I knew because of the sensitivity of the subject that I was letting myself be open to sincere criticism. I concluded this did not take away the fact that it was a shameful display of priorities.
One can feel completely different about the Wilpons and point out all that they helped contribute for the better good. But that doesn’t mean making excuses for one’s behavior when a PERCEIVED CONFLICT with one’s business interests and convictions seemed more important than allowing the players to demonstrate how the felt about these brave and giving of themselves people.
And what were those perceived business conflicts they were afraid of? Getting on the bad side of MLB and Nike which was selling officially licensed special commerative hats at $36.99 each. They even told their players the team would be subject to a very heavy fine if they went ahead and wore those other caps (something MLB denies but who knows). As the author of one of articles I attached asked, what was going to happen? Does one really believe MLB or Nike would have called them out for their show of tribute and not have dealt with it as an exception to the rule? Obviously, Jeff was quite worried about that.
Bottom line Jessup is that I kept all my past comments regarding the Wilpons and Sandy to business matters only. I have stated more than once, for example, that Sandy might be a good guy personally but when it comes to business how he deals with players and fans is another thing entirely.
What I did was focus on that night in the perspective of the indifference these brave people find all the time. And that was it. I was honest in bringing up the fact that I did not like the Wilpons so to get that issue out of the way and just focus on the act itself and what it represented in lieu of the subject matter and the example of Mr. Riveria and the typical treatment they receive due to business and politics coming first. I am not making it any more than that.
I understand your feelings about this Jessep and respect them – I see where you are coming from. Just please understand where was coming from and the perspective I was making – the indifference so many who have the power to really do something when it also requires putting aside their own self-interests for those of others in more desperate need.
For all their faults (and there are many) the Wilpons/Mets org actually does do a lot of charity stuff, including helping out charities for war vets.
On a related note, a poster on another board was talking a few weeks ago (I think after the NYDN article on DW and Felix came out) about how a friend of his who is a wounded vet was full of praise for the Mets and DW for their work with the wounded warriors program
Hi Jeff,
Agreed with the Mets charitable activities, however, the point about 9/11 was that in the mind of the organization the caps presented a conflict and their decision was simply not to take a chance that wearing the caps would show up MLB.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/mets/bud_isn_fine_FskZt4hgbiWvBVQwQr3G4M
Personally I think much too much was made about the whole cap situation. It would have been nice if they wore them, but there are more important things than just wearing caps – and I think all the hysteria over the caps took away from an otherwise nice ceremony, There were more important things to be concerned with IMO. And they had stopped wearing the caps for years (wearing those “stars and stripes” themed hats instead), it only became news b/c it got out that they had asked to wear them again and were denied. If it never got out that they asked/or they never asked, the media probably doesn’t make some big drama out of it.
Exactly. It’s a hat.
“Whether we wore the hat of that was not the issue. It was not what we had on our heads — it was what’s in our hearts.” – Terry Collins
3 months prior to the hat-gate stuff, the Wilpon’s helped fund The First Responder Alliance Mentoring Program, which will provide trained mentors for children whose parents died due to illness attributed to their time working at ground zero or Fresh Kills Landfill.
But hey, the Wilpon’s didn’t wanna cross MLB so they don’t care about First Responders right? Nevermind this was the THIRD program the Mets were major partners in with regards to Tuesday’s Children
This is the kind of stuff that drives me nuts. We latch on to such a small thing like wearing a hat and ignore everything else. It’s easier to look at hat gate and claim to know everything about the Wilpon’s. It’s a better talking point then, “oh wow they are doing more for the families than any of us are.”
But hey, they didn’t wear caps. So that’s the real story right
WOW! Touching! Joe D. and Metsie I don’t know you and I’m sure I may have gotten into it a bit with one or both of you from time to time but when I sit back and reflect on what these HEROS suffer it hurts me. Not sure if this is appropriate but could we possible work on some kind of outreach involving these great men and women? I would love to take part in that.