Ahead of Veterans Day, News 12 Connecticut is profiling some of the amazing men and women who have served the country in uniform.

Combat veteran Ubaldo Diaz was a U.S. Army Ranger who was so seriously injured in Afghanistan, doctors initially thought he might never walk again.

As a decorated veteran, he says he still gets choked up at this time of year.

When Diaz returned to civilian life, he hit hard times and ended up on the street. A nonprofit called the Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust helped Diaz turn his life around by getting him housing.

Chip Parrish owns a residential real estate company called SHELTER Powered by Keller Williams and is a major donor to the trust.

Shelter is helping Diaz and many other people who've fallen on hard time rebuild their lives.

Bridgeport Neighborhood Trust is holding its annual fundraising gala on Thursday online.