These parades drew in thousands of revelers including an Acadiana veteran who’s now on a new mission.
With the music, cheers, and throws, Mardi Gras is both a party and a celebration of life for Barry Guidry.
“This has always been not just a festival of life and love, but my family,” said Guidry. “not only to experience the time. which we don’t have a lot of people don’t realize that. That time that you spend with your family you can’t put a price tag on it. ”
Guidry served in the National Guard for more than 2 decades. That experience taught him how precious time is. It’s a lesson he learned more about one day after signing his retirement papers.
“Went through my entire career, 26 and a half year serving our country and took a bad fall upside down on a rope swing, believe it or not…right before my retirement,” Guidry said.
That accident left Guidry paralyzed. Now, he’s on a mission to walk again.
“I’m actually the first spinal cord patient and I just had my second round of stem cell injections they’re based out of Houston. I’m not only going to walk again but I’m going to finish the Crescent City 10k on my own two feet,” Guidry said.
That attitude is allowing Guidry to live his life to the fullest.
” I was infantry, did a lot of homeland security. I went from going 100 miles-per-hour to stop in a blink of an eye. I only had two choices, that’s it. You either lay in that bed and feel sorry for yourself or you can figure out a way to beat it, and I guarantee you I will beat this,” Guidry said.
