My name is Adrian Lopez. I am a husband, father of two, Catholic, and United States Marine Corps veteran. I served for 11 years as a combat engineer, marksmanship instructor, and recruiter, including deployments to Iraq in 2007 and Afghanistan in 2009.

Before my injury, I was an active husband and father. Our family enjoyed traveling, camping, skiing, playing basketball, and spending time outdoors. I coached my son’s basketball team and taught both of my children shot put and discus. Professionally, I earned my cybersecurity degree from Purdue and worked my way into a systems administrator position at Subaru of Indiana Automotive.

My life changed suddenly when I sustained a severe C4 complete spinal cord injury. I am now paralyzed from the chest down. I can move my arms, but I have very limited use of my hands and expect to rely on a wheelchair for mobility. I am currently undergoing spinal cord rehabilitation and learning how to complete everyday tasks in entirely new ways.

One of our family’s largest and most urgent needs is a wheelchair-accessible van. A properly equipped van will allow me to travel safely with my wheelchair to rehabilitation, medical appointments, church, my children’s activities, family outings, and eventually back to work. This is not simply a vehicle. It is essential equipment that will help me remain involved in my family and community instead of being confined by the lack of safe transportation.

Donations will primarily help purchase or convert a wheelchair-accessible van and equip it with the necessary wheelchair securement and safety systems. Funds may also help with other expenses caused by my injury, including adaptive equipment, accessibility modifications, rehabilitation travel, caregiving needs, medical expenses, and essential family expenses while I am unable to work.

My wife  has become my caregiver while continuing to care for our children and carrying many of the responsibilities I previously handled for our family. Despite everything that has changed, I remain determined to be a present husband and father and to return to my career in systems administration using adaptive technology.

Our Catholic faith, our family, and the support of our community continue to sustain us. We are deeply grateful for every donation, prayer, message, share, and act of practical help. If you cannot donate, sharing this fundraiser would also make a meaningful difference for our family.

Our family also has an existing GoFundMe supporting our broader recovery and household needs. This Fund the First campaign is focused primarily on wheelchair-accessible transportation and related mobility expenses. Contributions from both campaigns will be tracked and used for our documented recovery, accessibility, and family needs.

Thank you for helping me regain mobility, remain present for my family, and move forward into this new chapter of life.