Fisher Houses and Hero Miles Keep Family Together During Long Healing Journey
Army Capt. Luis Avila was serving as a company commander of a military police unit at Fort Cavazos, Texas when he embarked on his fifth deployment. On December 27, 2011, in Afghanistan, he was on a mission to secure a downed UAV when his vehicle was hit with an explosive that killed three of his soldiers and left three more badly wounded.
Back home, his wife Claudia, who had volunteered to be the Family Readiness Group leader, assisted with notifications for those who were lost. It was hours after that gut-wrenching task that she learned her husband was injured, too.
Claudia flew to Landstuhl, Germany to meet Luis once he was stable enough to travel from Afghanistan. His injuries were so extensive that chances of recovery seemed unlikely. He had multiple heart attacks and was pronounced dead three times before travel was possible, but eventually he was able to be medically evacuated to Germany, then San Antonio, Texas where the couple remained for months, then Richmond, Virginia and Bethesda, Maryland until he was finally strong enough to be released in 2013.
Through the whole journey, Claudia was able to stay at Fisher Houses. While she was always comfortable, she felt that it was the staff, volunteers, and other guests who really made each Fisher House special.
“They’re empathetic. They’re genuine, and I think they really feel our pain and they really understand what we're going through. I told my family that I never felt so loved. They know those are very crucial moments and they understand,” she said.
The Avila family, including the couple’s sons; Jose, Miguel, and Luis, Jr., who were 9, 12, and 13, was able to use Fisher House’s Hero Miles program to cover the costs of their flights so the family could heal together.
The Hero Miles program uses donated frequent flyer miles to purchase airline tickets allowing families to be at their loved ones’ side during medical treatment, a welcome relief from financial strain they were experiencing.
“It was nice that we had them with us,” she explained. “Fisher House was remarkable to bring our kids back and forth when we needed them.”
Today, Luis continues to have multiple paralysis and other medical issues. Luis competed in the Department of Defense Warrior Games in 2024 and was a member of Team U.S. at the Vancouver-Whistler Invictus Games 2025. The Hero Miles program provides transportation for two family members of every U.S. athlete during both adaptive sport events, so his family was able to celebrate his incredible accomplishments together.
