Shot by gang members, these Paralympians are making history

David Chávez and Jonathan Arias were both paralyzed after being shot by gang members in their youth in El Salvador. Now they are in the Paralympic Winter Games.

David Chávez and Jonathan Arias grew up in different parts of crime-ridden El Salvador in the 2010s, but they suffered the same brutal fate.

At age 14, Arias was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between rival gangs, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Chávez was also 14 when he was shot and paralyzed during a robbery by gang members.

El Salvador during this time offered few opportunities for young people, even for those who had everything going for them. For two teens unable to use their legs, the future was especially bleak.

Fast forward to 2026. El Salvador is competing in the Winter Paralympics for the first time in history, and it’s Chávez, 27, and Arias, 28, who are blazing the trail — on two skis. They have qualified for the Para cross-country skiing event despite hailing from a nation that never sees snow.

How they got here is an extraordinary story of human resiliency and determination, of two men dedicating themselves to a completely unfamiliar sport and relying on innovative training to get them to the top. It wouldn’t have been possible were it not for a committed band of supporters, including two American sports figures, who rallied around them and built a training center for disabled athletes in a coastal town once infested with violence.