Chad Waligura
Chad Alan Waligura (born March 19, 1969) is an American outdoor writer, magazine editor, and professional disabled hunter. It was for his work as a disabled hunter that he was named Buckmasters' 2003 Challenged Hunter of the Year and was chosen by Safari Club International for the Pathfinder Award in 2010. Life and career Born the son of Judy Dore' Waligura of Crowley, Louisiana, and Randy Waligura of Garwood, Texas, Waligura grew up in the town of El Campo, Texas. At an early age, he was introduced to hunting and fishing by his father and grandfather, Ben Waligura. On July 7, 1986, at age 17, Waligura suffered a paralyzing injury after diving into a swimming pool and fracturing his cervical vertebra at the C-7 level. He spent the next three months at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas. After being discharged, Waligura returned to TIRR Memorial Hermann periodically to visit with patients to talk about outdoor life and to give presentations on adaptive equipment. Waligura graduated from El Campo High School in 1988. In 1993, he graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in Wildlife & Fisheries Science. From there, Waligura went on to earn a Master of