Photo: Jose Vargas is presented the 2012 Patriotism Award by Kaskaskia College Vice President Administrative Services Nancy Kinsey at Friday night's graduation ceremony. College Trustee Jim Beasely who was also involved in the presentation for the college and Centralia VFW is in the background. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
A Centralia man who arrived in this country from Honduras at the age of ten not knowing a word of English and who went on to be a special Airborne Operations Paratrooper in the U.S. Army before suffering congestive heart failure is Kaskaskia College's 2012 Patriotism Award winner. Jose Vargas eventually had to undergo a heart transplant four years ago and entered the nursing program at Kaskaskia College a year later.
"Because of my conditions and the way people took care of me, my nurses were amazing at John Hopkins, very good care and very good quality, that made me to decide to become a nurse," said Vargas. "I wanted to give back for the care that I got."
Vargas completed the nursing program with his wife who also decided to pursue nursing as a career after caring for her husband. Both plan to pursue a four year nursing degree after graduating at Kaskaskia last week with an associate nursing degree. Vargas would ultimately like to be a transplant coordinator.
Vargas was first diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the age of 23 when he began having difficulties with physical activities shortly after re-enlisting for a second four year tour of duty with the Army. Vargas was given a medical discharge and moved back to his wife's hometown of Centralia.
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