Mission Moment: Israel Bolivar

Israel Bolivar’s life changed forever at the age of five. While playing hide and seek, he discovered his neighbor’s homemade grenade. He pulled the pin not knowing what it was, and it exploded in his hands, causing him to lose his sight and both hands.

After months in a coma and undergoing numerous surgeries, Israel began his journey to recovery. Originally from Colombia, he moved to Florida in 1999, where he attended the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International University.

Israel learned about Vibrant Works through a fellow employee who was also visually impaired. In 2019, after much consideration, he made the difficult decision to leave everything behind in Florida and relocate to San Antonio. He was drawn to Vibrant Works’ mission of empowering people with vision loss.

Israel’s determination and adaptability quickly shone through. He proved his capabilities and became a full-time sander in the Tinker Department, where he has excelled for the past five years. His team sands and finishes floorboards for the KC-135 aircraft.

“Israel’s performance is extremely phenomenal,” said his supervisor Tomas Trejo. “His quality of work is extraordinary, and I never have to ask him to rework anything he does.”

Known for his friendly and positive personality, Israel keeps his coworkers smiling.

“He has a huge heart and has become one of our vocal leaders in his department,” Tomas added.

What drives Israel is his sense of independence and the ability to provide for his family.

“Vibrant Works has given me the opportunity to prove that having a disability doesn’t mean you can’t be independent,” Israel shared. “People with disabilities can succeed just like anyone else.”