Major Ed Pulido
Pulido began working with The United Way of Central Oklahoma, and became the vice president of Community Investment and Research. He also served as Community Counseling Center Market and Public Relations director, as Early Head Start Community Partnership coordinator, and as Father Outreach coordinator and Therapeutic Nursery Program administrator. He was involved in providing counseling services for victims of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing and was the United Way staff chair on the Coordinating Resource Committee following the May 3, 1999, tornadoes in Oklahoma City. “We're here to make a difference,” said Pulido. “We want people to see how important it is to invest in our veterans." Major Pulido isn’t bashful to lift his left pant leg to show off a $52,000 titanium leg, which allows him to water ski, snow ski and run 100 meters in 20 seconds. The prosthesis, designed by Hanger prosthetics and Orthotics, permits him to walk with a normal gait. A computer programmed device constantly monitors pressure on his foot and adjusts a hydraulic cylinder inside to provide stability and safety. In retrospect, he mulls over his thoughts and feelings about the whole experience. "For me it wasn't scary; it was more of a challenge. Honestly, it was my will to do my job just like firemen or policemen. I'm adamant about the fact that we just do our job. To take the fire hose away from the fireman just wouldn't sound right. I was a trained soldier, so for me, I never had any qualms about it. And I think you'd find that from a lot of members that are serving; they miss their families. We all do, but we know there is a mission to be accomplished. For me specifically it was September 11. I believe peace was thrown out the window on that day. I don't care whether it's Afghanistan, Iraq, whatever. I don't want our service members there any more than anyone else, but it's a bad place in the world.”
