The Youngest and Oldest Athletes at the 44th National Veterans Wheelchair Games
At the 44th Annual National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Minneapolis, two competitors represented the extraordinary span of human experience and resilience. Separated by 71 years in age, 19-year-old Rafael Nuñez Alvarez and 90-year-old Angel Manuel Cedeño Cortes embodied the same inspiring story: veterans who refuse to let circumstances define their limits.
Finding Hope on Wheels: The Youngest Veteran’s Journey
Rafael Nuñez Alvarez stands out among competitors—not just because he was the youngest veteran in attendance, but because of the remarkable journey that brought him here. Fresh out of high school he enlisted in the U.S. Navy from Denver, Colo., with dreams of serving his country, seeing the world and sailing the open seas. But life had different plans.
Roughly one year ago, while still in training to work as a machinist mate nuclear, Nuñez Alvarez sustained a T-5 complete spinal cord injury in an accident that’s still to painful to openly talk about. “A year ago I didn’t think I was able to do anything,” he reflects. “I thought being in a wheelchair meant that I’d need help at every step of my life.”
His high school wrestling background proved unexpectedly valuable in adapting to wheelchair life. “In wrestling, you learn how to fall and protect your head and neck,” he explains. “Those skills have transferred nicely. I do fall out of my wheelchair quite often, but I know how to handle it.”
Nuñez Alvarez’s introduction to adaptive sports came through medical professionals at Trident Medical in South Carolina and the Rocky Mountain Regional VA center. The Paralyzed Veterans of America became his gateway to discovering new possibilities.
“They told me that everything I could do as an able-bodied person, I could do in a wheelchair,” Nuñez Alvarez says. “The only thing limiting me is my mental state of mind, not necessarily my physical state.”
At 90, This Puerto Rican Veteran Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
Angel Manuel Cedeño Cortes was the oldest competitor at this year’s Games, but his enthusiasm burns as bright as ever. Speaking through his son Luis, Angel’s passion for sports and life shines through despite the language barrier.
“He loves to be competitive,” Luis explains. “He loves to meet people. And he’s been doing it for 11 years.”
Born in Manatí, Puerto Rico, Angel served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959, working in artillery. His military service took him from Fort Jackson, South Carolina, to Arkansas, and eventually to Germany. After service, he worked as an auto body repair specialist before joining the Puerto Rico Police Department. A back injury eventually led to his current T3 spinal cord paralysis and early retirement.
Long before wheelchair sports, Angel found his passion in fishing. “When he is fishing, you forget all the things, you know, his problems,” Luis translates. “He got his brain free and he enjoys it.” Angel has participated in Puerto Rico’s marlin tournaments for 52 years, landing trophy fish up to four feet long.
Inspiration Across Generations
For Nuñez Alvarez, Angel became a powerful symbol of possibility. “It’s more than just an inspiration—it’s something for me to aspire to be,” he says about watching the 90-year-old compete. “Seeing all these veterans here in wheelchairs doing things I didn’t think was possible, it really is something to look up to.”
Angel’s approach to longevity is refreshingly simple. Through Luis, he shares that he doesn’t smoke or drink, and prioritizes rest—staying up late watching boxing matches until 2:00 or 3:00 AM, then sleeping until noon. “You know, got nothing to do. I stay living,” he says with a chuckle.
Grappling with Identity and Purpose
Being the youngest veteran brings unique challenges for Nuñez Alvarez. He sometimes feels out of place among veterans with full careers and decades of military experiences.
“When Navy people talk about what ships they’ve been on, I feel a little out of place because I was still in training when my accident happened,” he admits. “Sometimes I don’t know if fraud is the right word, but it doesn’t feel right sometimes. 19 and a veteran—it’s almost like an oxymoron.”
Despite these struggles, Nuñez Alvarez is building toward a future beyond his injury. He’s preparing to attend UC Denver in the fall, pursuing accounting. “I have the willingness to learn and do something I’m not really comfortable with,” he says. “It’s a challenge I’m willing to take on.”
The Games opened his eyes to adaptive sports possibilities: skiing, swimming, rock climbing, wheelchair lacrosse, even scuba diving.
A New Kind of Service
Both veterans understand their roles extend beyond personal achievement. Nuñez Alvarez represents hope for newly injured veterans, while Angel shows what’s possible when focusing on ability rather than limitation.
“Without people telling me what I can do, I don’t think I would be here at the Games,” Nuñez Alvarez reflects. “I think if it wasn’t for my team, my doctors, and other veterans, I wouldn’t be as capable and mobile as I am.”
His presence sends a powerful message: recovery isn’t just about physical rehabilitation—it’s about rebuilding dreams and discovering new definitions of strength.
The Heart of Competition
Nuñez Alvarez competed in pickleball and slalom while Angel participated in boccia, bowling (earning a silver medal), and 9-ball. Both veterans also took on field events, embodying the spirit that makes the National Veterans Wheelchair Games more than just a sporting event.
Nuñez Alvarez’s exceptional performance in the Novice II division earned him four medals—gold in javelin (12.01m) and slalom (02:30:85), silver in discus (11.41m), and bronze in shot put (3.77m)—medaling in every event he entered.
At 19, Nuñez Alvarez may have been the youngest veteran in Minneapolis, but his journey is just beginning. At 90, Angel didn’t just compete—he inspired everyone around him to reconsider what it means to live fully at any age.
Together, they represented the full spectrum of the veteran experience and reminded everyone that whether you’re 19 or 90, the possibilities are endless when you refuse to let circumstances define your limits—proof that the warrior spirit knows no bounds.