Still active duty, Senior Airman Thomas Hudson, lost most of the fingers on his right hand while serving in Iraq. The water actually took away most of his hand pain. His wife, Katelyn, also active military, trained to be his dive buddy for the 2011 trip.
Mitch Green Born without sight, Mitch Green possess a thrill for life a supportive family. He is a challenge to keep up with. Married with four children, Mitch works as a computer technician. He wanted to try scuba diving as another dimension of adventure into the unknown.
Travis Clennon After four tours of duty, Staff Sergeant Travis Clennon sustained an injury on his last tour, Afghanistan, by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Considered an incomplete paraplegic, Travis remains quite mobile with the help of leg braces. Therefore, he thoroughly enjoyed the 2011 “Brac with Friends” tour as a Dive Pirate.
Christina Davidson Despite being born with cerebral palsy, Christina Davidson remains an active 23-year-old. A graduate of the University of Alabama with degrees in Biology and Psychology, Currently, she lives in Albuquerque pursuing medical school. Nevertheless, a 2011 Dive Pirate recipient, she trained at the New Mexico Scuba Center.
Gina McWilliams An accomplished athlete, Gina McWilliams lost her right leg below the knee in an automobile accident at age 25. Her left foot severed and reattached. Since the accident, Gina has won metals in wheelchair basketball and volleyball. Currently the coach for the Ignite Volleyball Club, she serves as the middle school volleyball coach…
Randy Smith An active member of his community, Randy Smith works at the Army Depot. Additionally, he manages a number of rental properties in the Corpus Christi area. He lost his leg to a drunk-driver accident when he was 19. However, he continues to live a very active life that now includes diving.
Kim DeGidio Missing one arm since birth, Kim DeGidio can do more with one hand than most of us can with two. Currently Kim teaches art at the Academy of Choice in Spring Branch ISD. Moreover, she joined the dive pirates for the 2011 “Brac with Friends” trip.
Jane Scott Despite being a victim of polio as a small child, Jane Scott is a family general practitioner in Lubbock, TX. She has limited use of her left side, but with the help of braces and crutches she can navigate any dive boat. In fact, she took to diving on the 2011 trip to…
Gerard Miller Still active in the military, Gerard Miller suffered a gunshot wound to his left arm. Now, he lives with nerve damage from the elbow down. He joined the Dive Pirates as a 2011 recipient.
Larry O’Daniel Major Larry O’Daniel has served in the Navy during the Vietnam War era. More recently he served as a Military Policeman in the US Army. While in Iraq, a cancerous tumor required the removal of his leg. The surgery has not deterred Larry from motorcycling or diving as he finished his certification in…