Michael Villagran

Retired Army SPC Michael Villagran’s life changed forever on a deployment in 2012. He stepped on a bomb on a rooftop in Afghanistan, from there, he was sent to Germany, then to Fort Liberty where he had multiple surgeries to save his leg. The limb salvaging was not productive and there was nothing more they could do for him treatment-wise. He had to make a big decision. It was a choice between either taking a bunch of pain pills everyday indefinitely or have his leg amputated. When Valligran discovered Army adaptive sporting events, he decided to participate in the 2022 Army Trials, which led to his selection as a member of Team Army to compete in the 2022 Warrior Games. He also competed in 2024. Villagran is excited to represent the U.S. at the first-ever Invictus Winter Games in Canada next year, where he knows he will compete in skeleton (bobsled). He has been doing it for five years. He said just because he is missing a leg doesn’t mean he cannot be an athlete. He is a father of three daughters.

What does the Invictus Games mean to you?

Competing in the Invictus games while representing Team U.S. means the world to me. To be able to represent the country that I love while competing against the best of other countries’ military members will be such an honor.