Hoboken resident and United States Navy veteran Travis Ethan Benjamin Wyatt will receive an all-terrain trackchair from The Independence Fund during Florida State University’s men’s basketball game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Friday, November 13.
The presentation will take place during the game at the Donald L. Tucker Center in Tallahassee, Florida. Tip-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wyatt’s trackchair is made possible through the fundraising efforts of Kappa Alpha Order’s Gamma Eta Chapter at Florida State University.
Wyatt served more than 13 years in the U.S. Navy before medically retiring in 2023. His military honors include four Good Conduct Medals, five Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, two Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medals, three Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, marksmanship awards, and multiple warfare specialist qualifications.
“Keeping myself active and moving is important to me, especially since receiving my ALS diagnosis,” Wyatt said. “A trackchair would help me still be independent and enjoy the things that have brought me relief and peace through being in nature.”
While Wyatt was serving as officer of the deck aboard USS Fitzgerald at Naval Base San Diego, a nearby concussive blast threw debris into him and drove him into a bulkhead. He sustained multiple traumatic brain injuries, spinal injuries, closed-chest trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic headaches and vestibular problems. After years of medical appointments and therapy, Wyatt was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, in 2025.
Following his medical retirement, Wyatt found a renewed sense of purpose through adaptive sports. He has represented the Veteran community at the Department of Defense Warrior Games and Invictus Games and continues to compete nationally as an internationally classified W1 para-archer. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, precision shooting, cycling, swimming and spending time in nature with his family.
Wyatt lives in Hoboken with his wife and Caregiver, Teea, and their two children. For their family, the trackchair represents more than a new mobility device. It will help Wyatt remain active as ALS progresses and continue joining his family in the outdoor experiences that bring them together.
The Independence Fund’s Mobility Program provides all-terrain trackchairs to Veterans of all eras who have experienced a loss of mobility because of a service-related injury or illness. To date, the program has gifted 2,723 trackchairs to Veterans nationwide.
Kappa Alpha Order chapters have supported The Independence Fund since 2016, when the Zeta Phi Chapter at High Point University began a student-led initiative to raise funds for trackchairs for wounded Veterans. The Gamma Eta Chapter’s support continues that national partnership by making Wyatt’s trackchair possible.
