Veterans See Miami Differently During Bus Tour with Wounded Warrior Project

MIAMI, June 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Luis and Gloria Garzon discovered new things in their area during a recent Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) bus tour of the Miami area.

Veterans and their families explored downtown, the beaches, Art Deco architecture of South Beach, graffiti walls in the Wynwood Art District, and parks and memorials in Little Havana aboard an English double-decker bus. Although many of the participants live in South Florida, they were surprised as they looked on their hometown from a different point of view.

"We saw Miami like we haven't seen before," said Luis, an Army Reserve veteran. "We picked this trip because we wanted some distraction from our normal routines. We saw some incredible sites. I won't forget the ride through Wynwood. I've never been to that part of Miami before. We're going to come back and see it again."

Activities like taking a walk during tour stops and socializing with other veterans can help injured warriors cope with stress and emotional concerns. In a WWP survey of the injured warriors it serves, more than half of survey respondents (51.7 percent) talked with fellow veterans to address their mental health issues, and 29.6 percent expressed physical activity helps.

National Guard veteran Ernesto Jimenez also enjoyed the Wynwood district. But more than anything else, he valued the opportunity to connect with other veterans in a calming setting.

"I like being around other veterans like me," Ernesto said. "It's good to talk with people who share many of the same experiences. This event was a great way to see new places around my city."

WWP program gatherings offer settings that provide opportunities for injured veterans to form bonds. The programs assist injured veterans with mental health, physical health and wellness, career and benefits counseling, connecting warriors with one another and their communities, and long-term care for the most seriously wounded.

"We rarely get out of our own neighborhood," Luis said. "We were happy we found other veterans – and some really nice places to visit."

To learn and see more about how WWP's programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/, and click on multimedia.

About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project^® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project