Lucio Gaytan

Lucio Gaytan, born in Los Angeles in 1977, joined the U.S. Army in 1996 out of Imperial Beach, California. Despite living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a condition affecting connective tissues and causing joint instability and fragile skin, Lucio proudly served for 22 years, surpassing the physical limitations of his body until he could no longer continue. His service took him to 1st and 3rd Special Forces Groups (Airborne) at Fort Lewis, WA, and Fort Bragg, NC, as well as NATO’s Joint Command South in Italy and 1/1 SFG (A) in Okinawa, Japan. He deployed to Iraq in 2004 and Afghanistan from 2005 to 2008, reaching the rank of Sergeant First Class before medically retiring in 2018.

During his time at the Warrior Transition Battalion, Lucio discovered adaptive sports, reigniting his passion for competition through wheelchair basketball. Since competing in the Warrior Games in 2017 and 2018, he has participated in numerous adaptive sports, including tennis, football, handcycling, and sled hockey. He currently resides in Lakewood Ranch, FL, with his wife of 11 years, Ivette, and their two children, Lucious and Lyanna.

What does the Invictus Games mean to you?

It would be a great honor to represent my Country at Invictus Games and wear the USA flag in my uniform just like I did in the military. I still have a long way in my recovery, but adaptive sports have kept me alive. I want my kids to witness that I am not done and that anything is possible. Invictus games is a reunion of Brothers and Sisters inspiring each other to never give up.