For most veterans of war, the toughest part of the journey is coming home.
Jason Padilla learned that lesson after several overseas tours with the Navy SEAL Team and suffering a gunshot wound to his leg.
“When you’re at war, every single day you’re living life on the edge,” Padilla said. “You’re not slowing down.”
That mindset doesn’t translate well stateside, but Padilla has been able to battle through and spoke of his journey on Thursday night for a Wounded Warrior Project fundraiser at Casa Escobar, hosted and organized by the Malibu Kiwanis Club. An enthusiastic and patriotic crowd of about 400 was in attendance, among them many veterans.
The final tally for how much money was raised isn’t in yet, but Kiwanis member Sid Dinow is sure the club will be able to purchase at least two special “track chairs” for beneficiaries of the Wounded Warrior Project. The all-terrain chairs are priced between $15,000 and $18,000 and help amputees and physically challenged veterans.
“People ask why we do it, but how could we ever do enough?” Dinow said. “It’s the very least we can do for all the freedoms we have.”
Bernie Safire, a longtime Malibu resident who fought in the Korean War, said raising awareness for the plight of veterans is crucial and Thursday’s turnout was a promising sign.
“The importance of all this is we’re all brothers and we’ve all been brought together,” Safire said. “…People respect what this is all about.”
After the war, Safire worked as a hairstylist and won a record-setting eight gold medals in the 1981 senior Olympics gymnastic competition. While training for the Olympics, he was coached by another veteran named Michael Cates, who fought in Vietnam. Cates owns Broadway Gymnastics in Marina Del Rey.
Despite having fought in different wars, Kates and Safire forged a deep bond in the process.
“We’re brothers forever,” Cates said Thursday.
Padilla, who addressed the crowd during the event, gained medical retirement from the Navy in 2008 and started his own private security business, SEALs on Security. He lives in west Malibu and continues to be involved in the military community, including spending time at local Veterans Affairs centers and providing counseling to recently returned vets who struggle to cope with the aftermath of war.
“A lot of guys, they don’t seek help,” he said. “When you’re in the military, you don’t talk about your feelings … you just don’t know how to get back to normal.”
Padilla battled with post-traumatic stress disorder after his deployments.
“I began drinking a lot, got into a lot of fights,” he said. It wasn’t until he decided to get help that he got back on track.
Led by John Paola, the Kiwanis Club has helped raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project many years. The Wounded Warrior Project aims to help wounded service members readjust after returning from war. Other organizers include Ozzie Silna, Susan Winship and Dinow. The Kiwanis Club also organized an elaborate silent auction display, with everything from tropical trips, restaurant and spa gift certificates to a Laird Hamilton stand-up paddleboard up for bid on Thursday.
Attendees who prepaid $150 or $200 at the door were treated to a spread of Mexican-style buffet dishes served straight from the Casa Escobar kitchen, along with beer, wine and sangria.
To donate to the Wounded Warrior Project, visit malibukiwanisclub.com/wwp/ or support.woundedwarriorproject.org.
