Jose “Freddy” Ruiz was born in 1984 spending most of his childhood in Dallas, TX where he
graduated from Mesquite High School in 2002. Freddy became the first in his family to serve in
the US armed forces when he enlisted in the Army in 2004, becoming a wheeled vehicle
mechanic. 

On Sept. 16, 2010, Army Staff Sergeant Jose “Freddy” Ruiz was on his third tour in Afghanistan
serving as personal security detail with the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment when an
improvised explosive device (IED) caused his vehicle to roll over multiple times. Freddy, alive,
but unconscious and severely injured, was the only survivor. The eight years he spent in the
army and the career he loved came to a sudden end and he instead had to adjust to an entirely
different future.

As a result of the attack, SSG Ruiz sustained a severe injury to his head, traumatic brain injury
(TBI) and extremity fractures. The TBI was the most severe of his injuries. He describes his
recovery experience as being “reborn.” SSG Ruiz had to relearn all basic functions including
walking, eating, and talking, while coping with the emotional, behavioral and social challenges
caused by his injuries. While he has made significant progress in his recovery, he still loses his
balance and has difficulty with cognitive functions. “Every day is a struggle, but I won’t give up,”
he says.

Freddy now lives in San Antonio TX with his family and enjoys sports and being outdoors
including riding with Upward Transitions Therapeutic Horsemanship (UTTH).
Freddy’s community support specialist with Simple Steps, LLC., quoted, “Freddy is committed to
showing up once a week and enjoys coming early to help out with the horses. Since attending
the program we have noticed a huge increase in Freddy’s balance. I have also noticed that
immediately after a session at Upward Transitions, Freddy is more calm and relaxed. One thing
I like is how friendly and positive the staff are. They work at the veteran’s pace and explain
what is expected very well. I have found the experience to be a very useful tool in the recovery
process for Freddy.”

“As a life coach/community support specialist who primarily works with wounded veterans I am
constantly looking for activities that will improve the quality of life for my clients. The client that
I introduced to Upward Transitions Therapeutic Horsemanship is SSG Jose Ruiz, an Army veteran
who was injured during his third tour in Afghanistan. Jose suffered from a severe traumatic
brain injury and an extremity of fractures. Jose described his recovery to the likes of being
reborn. He had to relearn basic functions such as walking, eating, coping with emotional,
behavioral and social challenges. I approached Upward Transitions because I had read about
the numerous benefits of equine therapy and saw that they offered a program for veterans.
Upward Transitions has helped Jose develop a sense of responsibility. Jose is committed to
showing up once a week and enjoys coming early to help out with the horses. Since attending
the program we have noticed a huge increase in Jose’s balance. I have also noticed that
immediately after a session at Upward Transitions Jose is more calm and relaxed. One thing I
liked is how friendly and positive the staff are. They work at the veterans pace and explain what
is expected very well. I found the experience to be a very useful tool in the recovery process for
Jose. I would recommend Upward Transitions to any of our veterans. Not only is it a positive
outlet but also a great core exercise.”

Testimonial for Jose Ruiz written by Jonathon Franco, Simple Steps LLC, Jose’s Support Specialist
Dated Thu, Mar 29, 2018

A full story about SSG Jose Ruiz is available at:
https://veteranscharityride.org/meet-the-veterans-2018/fred-ruiz/
https://www.hfotusa.org/building-homes/veterans/ruiz/