Israel “DT” Del Toro survived burns over more than 80 percent of his body, then spent years fighting for the chance to serve in uniform again. In February 2010, he became the first Airman with a 100 percent disability rating to reenlist in the U.S. Air Force.
His story offers a powerful Veterans Day tribute. Behind the military milestone was a promise made long before Afghanistan: to look after his family.
A promise that stayed with him
Del Toro was 12 when his father died. In an interview about his memoir with Colorado station KOAA, he recalled promising to care for his younger siblings the night before losing his father.
The commitment later extended to his military teammates and his own wife and son. His memoir, A Patriot's Promise, connects those responsibilities with the determination that carried him through recovery.
Del Toro served as a Tactical Air Control Party specialist, working with ground forces and helping coordinate air support. It was demanding work built around training, trust and responsibility for others.
The explosion that changed his life
On December 4, 2005, Del Toro's Humvee struck an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. He suffered severe burns and devastating injuries to his hands.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation's account records the date, burns covering more than 80 percent of his body and the reported 15 percent chance of survival doctors gave him.
An Air Force report from his reenlistment ceremony describes three months in a coma and 120 surgeries by early 2010. His survival began a long process of rehabilitation rather than an immediate return to ordinary life.
The hug that answered a father's fear
Del Toro worried about how his young son would react to his changed appearance. Recalling their reunion in an Air Force account published in 2018, he described entering the house in bandages.
His son paused, recognized him and hugged him. Del Toro remembered it as one of the most meaningful moments of his life, second only to his son's birth.
For a father afraid of losing that connection, the embrace mattered in a way no medical milestone could measure.
Choosing to keep teaching in uniform
After a lengthy effort to remain in the service, Del Toro was offered a choice: medically retire and teach TACP students as a civilian, or continue the same work in uniform.
He chose to reenlist. The ceremony took place on February 8, 2010, at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas.
His experience gave future Airmen an instructor who understood the stakes of their work firsthand. Staying in the Air Force allowed him to keep passing that knowledge on.
New goals in sport and in the sky
Adaptive sports became another part of Del Toro's recovery. The Pat Tillman Foundation's 2017 announcement records his gold medal at the 2016 Invictus Games and his selection for the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2017 ESPYs.
On February 18, 2017, he also completed his 131st parachute jump—his first in 11 years. The Air Force Academy's report describes his retraining alongside cadets and his role mentoring the next generation.
Returning to the sky meant preparing again, managing nerves and trusting the skills he had practised.
Service after the uniform
Now a retired senior master sergeant, Del Toro shares his experiences as a speaker and author. His publisher's biography lists his Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Pat Tillman Award for Service.
In 2025, he told CBS Colorado: “I'm truly at peace on my ranch.”
Honoring DT means remembering both the service and the person: a father, husband, teammate and teacher whose recovery required years of care and effort.
The promise that helped guide him was simple. He wanted to be there for the people who counted on him. Through each new chapter, he kept finding ways to do that.
Photograph credits
All photographs depict Del Toro at the events identified in their captions.
- 2018 speaking engagement: Van Ha / U.S. military. Public domain; resized.
- 2017 Warrior Games cycling: EJ Hersom / DoD News / CC BY 2.0. Resized.
- 2010 shooting practice: Senior Airman Christopher Griffin / U.S. Air Force. Public domain; resized.
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