30 YEARS AGO, A COMBAT PILOT MADE HISTORY.
This is the true story of John Alvarez, the first U.S. military pilot to go back to unrestricted flight status after losing a limb.
Early Praise for Walk, Run, Fly Again
“I was thrilled to see [John’s story] captured in a truly well written book, and I know that it will inspire countless others for years to come!”
— Lt Gen Tom Trask, USAF (Ret.),
Former Vice Commander, US Special Operations Command“Walk, Run, Fly Again is an uplifting book for service members; but honestly this is a great read for anyone wanting to be fundamentally inspired!”
— Lt Gen Marshall “Brad” Webb, USAF (Ret.), Former AFSOC and AETC Commander“A breathtaking, heart pounding, eye watering account of John’s journey from tragedy to triumph. Each chapter reminds us faith, family, and friendships help redefine victory one day, one dream, and one step at a time…”
— CMSgt Greg Smith (Ret.),
Former AFSOC and USSOCOM Senior Enlisted Leader
A Testament to Love, Family, Perseverance, and Faith.
On a Special Ops mission in Ecuador in 1996, everything changed for John Alvarez.
A counter-drug training flight turned catastrophic when his aircraft went down. A single moment would redraw the course of his life. What followed was not just survival, but an extraordinary return: a journey through loss, reconstruction, and the unrelenting pull of the skies he refused to leave behind.
Walk, Run, Fly Again tells the story behind that moment—the one that nearly ended everything, and the life that rose from it.
In 2016, Lisette Alvarez—John’s eldest child and an award-winning storyteller—made a promise to her father to finally commit his story to paper. Ten years later, you get to read the result of nearly a decade of interviews, rewrites, and memories about this extraordinary moment in history.
Meet the Authors
Coming soon…
Memorial Day 2026!
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