When Music Speaks: Warrior Picks Up the Beat Again After Traumatic Brain Injury By Raquel Rivas, Wounded Warrior Project Army veteran Paul Delacerda has played drums since age 9. He started touring with his first band at 17. So, after an IED attack in Iraq sidelined his Army career, he thought he would pick up music again. Not so easy after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Paul remembers his first open mic after being injured. “The club owner came up to tell me I was playing behind the beat,” Paul said. “He didn’t close the door, though; he just told me to practice and come back when I was better.”
“After playing again, I realized other warriors should have a chance to do this,” Paul reflected. “Being on stage gets you over the fear of being in front of people. It’s also a positive way to express your talent. When words fail, music speaks. If you can’t say it, then play it.” Playing His Way Back to Life and to Heritage
Paul was determined and taught himself to play drums all over again. He returned in eight months to much praise. He even said that relearning allowed him to develop better habits. Within three years, he founded a new rock band comprised of veterans. “Drumming is very physical, and with a TBI, you tend to get hyperactive, but when I play, I sleep like a baby,” Paul said. Drumming is way more than music therapy; Paul found a new mission through his music. If he could do it, other veterans could do it.
Paul has music in his blood. His dad was a mariachi singer and guitarist in Houston, Texas. His maternal grandfather was a composer, and an uncle played the drums – inspiring Paul to play. Military service is part of his heritage as well: Paul’s dad served in the Air Force and Paul’s brother and uncle both served in the Army. Paul first joined the Army in 1995. He reenlisted after 9/11 and was deployed to Iraq in 2005. During most of his 15 years of active duty, he served as an infantry paratrooper, logging 128 jumps. He hurt a knee in a jump and had to briefly leaveactive duty. Within a few months, 9/11 happened and Paul rehabbed his knee so that he could reenlist. Paul had a total of nine deployments. The day of the TBI injury, Paul and his unit were clearing a road of IEDs. Continued on next page >
WWW.SanDiegoVeteransMagazine.com / JULY 2022
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