Army Veteran and Bronc Rider Zach Thomas' Journey To The Arena

Deployed to Afghanistan at the age of 18, Zach “Crash” Thomas needed a way to find himself again after his return to the States.

“I was struggling with my reintegration after military into civilian life,” Zach says.

After seeing a Facebook video of a bronc rider, he felt he had found his calling.

“That looks terrifying. I think I’d like to try that,” he said of the video.

Once he rode, he was hooked. Then, one bad ride gave him a concussion, a fractured pelvis, and a broken back, among other injuries.

With the injuries he sustained, doctors said he wouldn’t ride again for a year. He was back on a bronc in four months.

Thomas’ resilience to return to life after Afghanistan and love for his sport kept him going, and Zach Thomas still rides today.

Find out about Wrangler’s efforts to raise funds to support American military veterans and their families at wranglernationalpatriot.com.