Putting his kayak in the water and dropping a fishing line is Wilberto Marrero’s way to escape. It doesn’t matter if the fish are biting or his fellow fishermen are particularly chatty. Sitting in the kayak enjoying the serenity and calm water is enough to consider the day a success.
It has been 16 years since Wilberto, stationed in Iraq while serving in the U.S. Army, was traveling in a U.S. Army armored fighting vehicle that was blown up by an IED.
“We were on one of the main routes and EOD came before us because we were carrying some important stuff,” said Wilberto, who served 12 years before medically retiring as a staff sergeant. “They came and swept the road, but between them sweeping and us getting out of the gate, something was planted.”
The next thing Wilberto remembers, he was waking up in the hospital at Landstuhl Air Force Base in Germany. After leaving Landstuhl, he was transferred to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda before eventually returning home to Fort Wainwright in Alaska.
Wilberto’s physical and mental pain continues to this day. Wilberto does not like to fully discuss his injuries and he still requires more operations. He has traveled the country for surgeries and treatments.
“I’ve been put back together with duct tape by the VA,” he joked recently, noting that he had another surgery scheduled the following week.
Wilberto now lives in York, Pa., and he has been to Patriot Point twice. The time spent there has been invaluable, he said. He especially enjoyed the camaraderie of sitting around the dining room table and eating while sharing personal experiences and not worrying about anyone making judgments.
And then there is the water. It’s just like back home, where he often fishes with two other veterans.
“Hey, do you want to go fish alone, together?” is their standard way of making plans.
“You don’t have to talk to someone,” Wilberto said. “Maybe all you need is companionship for a day or someone to sit with you in a corner and not talk, but not be alone. That’s why I got into kayak fishing. We are not alone, we are together. I’m not invading your space or forcing you to do anything, but I’m here.”
After they get out of the water, that can be the time to talk, if needed.
In addition to enjoying his time on the water, Wilberto credits his service dog Ashton for helping in his healing journey. A 71-pound Black Lab trained in being around people with PTSD and TBI, Ashton can sense when even the slightest thing is off.
“If I start having a nightmare, she comes and puts her head on my chest,” Wilberto said. “As humans, we take little details for granted. But she picks up on triggers and comes up to me at ease, so I can continue with my daily routine.”
Ashton was named in honor of U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Ashton Goodman, who was killed in combat in 2009. Ashton and Wilberto recently visited a memorial to Goodman at Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina.
“Service dogs are the biggest blessing in disguise you can have,” Wilberto said. “As someone with multiple struggles and who suffers with social interaction, it’s a blessing. Working together, I actually have had my blood pressure under control the last few months. It is impressive how much she has helped without even knowing it."