Mike Sulsona

Mike Sulsona served as a Marine in Vietnam from 1970 to 1971, as a rifleman in an infantry unit. On January 15, 1971, while on patrol, Sergeant Sulsona stepped on a detonated land mine. The explosion resulted in multiple wounds, including the amputation of both his legs above the knee. Due to his courageous sacrifice for his country, Sergeant Sulsona received an honorable discharge in October 1971, after receiving a promotion to Sergeant and being awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.

In the following years, Sergeant Sulsona attended college and graduated with honors from Goddard College with a Master’s Degree in Writing. In 1989, he received the prestigious Kennedy Center Award for playwriting, and later appeared in the Academy Award-winning movie, “Born on the Fourth of July”, and the documentary, “Hearts and Minds”. He also received a national award for his play, “Who We Are/How We Love”, and has been nominated for a Writers Guild of America Screenwriting Award for his script, “North of Manila”.

In his 40 plus years home, Sergeant Sulsona has spent much of his time and energy on veterans in need. He always puts others before himself, helping fellow veterans who are suffering from Agent Orange exposure, as well as the homeless, amputees, burn victims and those suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Sergeant Sulsona assists with paperwork, making phone calls and keeping appointments, and is available 24/7 when needed. Sergeant Sulsona is also a member of Rolling Thunder®Chapter 2 NY, where he volunteers his time and energy to help veterans from all wars.

Sergeant Sulsona and his wife reside on Staten Island to this day, where they are both avid community volunteers.