Army veteran paralysed in crash returns seven years later with a degree

Rocky Fernandez’s life took an unexpected turn when a car crash left the Army veteran paralysed, forcing him to rebuild plans that had once seemed straightforward. Recovery brought hospital stays, rehabilitation and medical setbacks, but his ambitions did not disappear. As reported by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, with support from the Houston VA and vocational services, Fernandez returned to education and worked towards a petroleum engineering degree. Seven years after the accident, he reached a milestone that once seemed difficult to imagine: graduation. His journey involved far more than completing coursework, requiring him to balance ongoing health challenges with college and daily life. Now, he is preparing to begin a career in petroleum engineering.Rocky Fernandez’s life changed after a car crash left him paralysedBefore the crash, Fernandez was an Army veteran with plans that centred on education and what might come afterwards. The accident altered those plans almost immediately.The years that followed were marked by medical complications and rehabilitation. There were extended periods in hospital, including treatment for a serious infection, while adapting to life ...