NITRO, W.Va. — On a rainy Friday afternoon, Dave Riley was inside the Nitro World War I Museum, eating lunch pizza, checking his phone and talking to a handful of residences.
It was a day before he was supposed to deliver a keynote speech at an event honoring the city's Living Memorial Park. Nitro, which was founded during World War I, was holding the event has part of its dentinal celebration.
Riley, who is from, Mobile, Alabama, was visiting the city to take part in its dedication of the Living Memorial Park. While he is not from the area, he became interested in coming to the city after talking to former baseball umpire Larry Barnett.
"He said explaining that he was from a town called Nitro, and that they were going to have this Living Memorial dedication coming …show more content…
"I said, 'Wow, I can do that.'"
Riley said he was able to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer science before starting a company, but he continued to struggle, developing depression.
Riley said he found hope after visiting the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colorado.
"They call it 'Miracles on the Mountainside' for a reason," he said. "People who are really injured are able to work with therapists and gain a new lease on life. For me, it was able to be exposed to adrenalin again and get me out of the funk that I had gotten into."
It was at that same location years later where he and Barnett talked about visiting Nitro. Barnett was honored by the city Saturday as part of the park dedication.
"When you're limbs hurt sometimes, just think of Dave Riley," Barnett said. "Arthritis doesn't bother me as much as it used to."
After that first trip to Colorado, Riley closed his computer business and began working on veteran's issues with Disabled American Veterans in Alabama. In 2010, he was recognized as the organization's Disabled Veteran of the Year. He became the head of the 1.3 million-member group last
It was a day before he was supposed to deliver a keynote speech at an event honoring the city's Living Memorial Park. Nitro, which was founded during World War I, was holding the event has part of its dentinal celebration.
Riley, who is from, Mobile, Alabama, was visiting the city to take part in its dedication of the Living Memorial Park. While he is not from the area, he became interested in coming to the city after talking to former baseball umpire Larry Barnett.
"He said explaining that he was from a town called Nitro, and that they were going to have this Living Memorial dedication coming …show more content…
"I said, 'Wow, I can do that.'"
Riley said he was able to earn a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in computer science before starting a company, but he continued to struggle, developing depression.
Riley said he found hope after visiting the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colorado.
"They call it 'Miracles on the Mountainside' for a reason," he said. "People who are really injured are able to work with therapists and gain a new lease on life. For me, it was able to be exposed to adrenalin again and get me out of the funk that I had gotten into."
It was at that same location years later where he and Barnett talked about visiting Nitro. Barnett was honored by the city Saturday as part of the park dedication.
"When you're limbs hurt sometimes, just think of Dave Riley," Barnett said. "Arthritis doesn't bother me as much as it used to."
After that first trip to Colorado, Riley closed his computer business and began working on veteran's issues with Disabled American Veterans in Alabama. In 2010, he was recognized as the organization's Disabled Veteran of the Year. He became the head of the 1.3 million-member group last