I haven’t seen anything in the paper on the progress of Sgt. Odin Ayala. I understand he is now in San Diego for rehabilitation after being injured last September. There are two films on YouTube: one with his family pictures and one is a Madison High School military tribute. I also located an Odin Ayala Foundation on Facebook. The reason I am asking Probe is because everyone I have spoken to regarding this young man does not seem aware of his situation. I would appreciate you checking on him. Everyone reads Probe and I feel you can get a story to share with the Valley about his progress and if there is any way we may be of help to him. — Interested in Odin, El Centro
We haven’t published any updates on Odin Ayala recently. The last piece we printed was a letter to the sports editor from Bill Cunningham, former Calexico High School head football coach during Ayala’s time as a decorated player with the Bulldogs. That’s the Madison High connection; Cunningham now works at Madison.
For those who do not know, U.S. Army Sgt. Odin Ayala was injured during an attack in Afghanistan on Sept. 14 from an improvised explosive device. He lost both legs to a bilateral amputation at the knees.
In October, Calexico High started the Sgt. Odin Ayala Foundation, which was raising money for his family through Wells Fargo Bank in Calexico. There is also the Facebook page.
We spoke with Ayala’s former defensive coordinator Ruben Castro, who now coaches at Vincent Memorial High.
Castro told us Ayala is doing great, and he spends the weekends in Calexico with his family. During the week he stays at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, where he is rehabilitating and getting fitted for his prosthetic legs.
Surprisingly, Ayala called us a few minutes after we spoke with Castro. Tuesday, Ayala said, was five-months to the day that he was injured. He said he is living in the barracks at the Naval hospital, practicing on his temporary legs called “shorties,” until he gets his special prosthetics.
Ayala graduated from Calexico High in 2003. He was the Imperial Valley Press’ Defensive Player of the Year and an all-Imperial Valley League defensive back in 2002, an all-IVL second team quarterback in 2001, a two-year varsity letterman and the Bulldogs’ team captain in his senior year.
We will have a more in-depth feature on Ayala’s journey and recovery in the newspaper in the coming weeks.
We haven’t published any updates on Odin Ayala recently. The last piece we printed was a letter to the sports editor from Bill Cunningham, former Calexico High School head football coach during Ayala’s time as a decorated player with the Bulldogs. That’s the Madison High connection; Cunningham now works at Madison.
For those who do not know, U.S. Army Sgt. Odin Ayala was injured during an attack in Afghanistan on Sept. 14 from an improvised explosive device. He lost both legs to a bilateral amputation at the knees.
In October, Calexico High started the Sgt. Odin Ayala Foundation, which was raising money for his family through Wells Fargo Bank in Calexico. There is also the Facebook page.
We spoke with Ayala’s former defensive coordinator Ruben Castro, who now coaches at Vincent Memorial High.
Castro told us Ayala is doing great, and he spends the weekends in Calexico with his family. During the week he stays at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, where he is rehabilitating and getting fitted for his prosthetic legs.
Surprisingly, Ayala called us a few minutes after we spoke with Castro. Tuesday, Ayala said, was five-months to the day that he was injured. He said he is living in the barracks at the Naval hospital, practicing on his temporary legs called “shorties,” until he gets his special prosthetics.
Ayala graduated from Calexico High in 2003. He was the Imperial Valley Press’ Defensive Player of the Year and an all-Imperial Valley League defensive back in 2002, an all-IVL second team quarterback in 2001, a two-year varsity letterman and the Bulldogs’ team captain in his senior year.
We will have a more in-depth feature on Ayala’s journey and recovery in the newspaper in the coming weeks.
