Alex Ortiz Marine Veteran Injured In Ukraine

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. My son Alex was willing to do just that. He is 25 years old and a Marine Veteran. When the war broke out in Ukraine, he immediately purchased a one-way plane ticket, got the vaccine, quit his $30 dollar-an-hour job, left his electrician's school, and joined the Ukrainian Army. At one point, I begged Alex to come home, although he said he couldn’t after knowing of the atrocities happening to the innocent children. Alex was hit by a rocket and seriously injured in late April. Alex has been in a neurological ICU abroad, and doctors are preparing him for his journey home to the United States. We have been advised that depending upon the equipment and staff needed for his Medevac flight home, and the expenses can reach well over $250,000. Alex suffered a traumatic brain injury and has battled through Post Traumatic Meningoencephalitis Ventriculitis and fighting pneumonia in both lungs. Alex lost a part of his intestines from shrapnel wounds along with shrapnel wounds to his leg. Even after Alex’s journey home, he will require rehabilitation, home modifications, therapy, a metal plate for his skull and a glass eye, to name a few, and this is not including travel expenses for us to travel back and forth from El Paso to San Antonio to be with him and visit him. With additional costs associated with these things, I believe some may assume that being a veteran allows you to be covered for these circumstances. However, unfortunately, it is not that simple. Being that Alex went on his own accord and wasn’t sent by the U.S. makes him/us responsible because he is not covered. With the war situation in Ukraine and no U.S. embassy working there, my husband and I traveled to Ukraine to see him, help him and reassure him that he is loved by so many and that we are all here to support him. We humbly ask for your help, support and prayers to bring my brave, selfless son home. Every donation helps and is hugely appreciated. We ask that you please share Alex’s story and link with as many people as possible to help us achieve our goal. God bless!