Life’s circumstances meld different people together in various ways, like paints spread out on a canvas.

For Col. Mitzi Rivera, an Army nurse at Fort Bliss’ Soldier Recovery Unit, she’s taken her time as a patient and a lover of art to start up an art therapy class for her fellow Soldiers, each going through their own medical challenges.

Rivera, a Brooklyn native and Soldier for 35 years, responded to an advertisement at the SRU asking for volunteers for activities.

“I had always been interested in art, so I created art therapy classes for the Soldiers,” she said. “It brings me to a different world and helps me communicate with the Soldiers in a different way. They’re more receptive to relax and enjoy it.

“I’ve had Soldiers come in and really want to paint the Mona Lisa,” she said. “That’s not the idea. They are here to relax and to have fun and let go.

One soldier said, ‘I let go.’ And the minute he said that, he started laughing. And I said, all right, now you can paint. He did a beautiful painting and he was smiling. This is someone who was always stoic. He just had a great time and let go and was able to relax. So that’s what I want our therapy to be.”

One Soldier who has benefitted from Rivera’s classes is Spc. Alexis Pantoja. The 23 year-old from Chicago is a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist who was injured in a hit-and-run accident at McKelligon Canyon in El Paso in September 2022.

“I was taking photos of my bicycle and the mountains and that was the last thing I remember,” said Pantoja. “My Apple watch tracked my movement and performed a distress call. It showed that someone called EMS to say I was unconscious but they didn’t leave their information.”

Pantoja was in a coma for 10 days and had short-term memory deficit for 13 days. His memory started coming back about a month later.

Suffering from a facial fracture and brain bleed, he was sent to the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis where he had to relearn how to walk, write and eat.

“I’ve had people ask me, ‘Were you overwhelmed having to relearn all of this’? No. My brain was slow and I couldn’t think that far ahead – I could only concentrate on one thing at a time. I either could focus on my recovery or feel pitiful about myself.”

Pantoja began art therapy in Minneapolis and started swimming. He realized that it was helping with his injury.

“It expedited my recovery,” he said. “My brain works faster.”

Pantoja competed in the 2024 Warrior Games here at Fort Bliss and hopes to compete again this year.

Pantoja sings Rivera’s praises for bringing art therapy to the unit.

“She’s been here a year and makes everyone feel like they are part of a community,” he said, adding, “she’s one of the guys.”

“I think that’s what impacts me the most is how I can impact the Soldiers,” said Rivera. A mother of two herself, she admits that maybe a little Mom comes out when she takes care of her Soldiers, whether they are under her command or fellow patients at the SRC.

Pantoja hopes to return to his military unit in about six months but his accident has shifted his focus on his future.

“Before my accident I wanted to be a professional athlete and was into science. After my accident, I am an athlete and plan to compete again to show improvement I’ve made. I have more coordination with the swimming now, and I’d like to compete in rowing.

What does the future hold for him?

“I’d like to have a career in brain science as a neurologist, neuro psychologist, speech pathologist, or traumatic brain injury doctor,” he said. “I’m really fascinated by that because I’ve had so many experiences and know what it’s like.”

For Rivera, helping people discover things like that is what she says she is meant to do. “That’s what makes me happy. Do something that’s going to make you happy, whether you’re in the military or not.” She added that painting makes her relaxed and happy. “I feel elated in a different sense. I’m moving when I’m painting, I feel like I’m in a different dimension where I’m free and able to be, being creative and having fun.”

The person who posted the advertisement looking for volunteers is Joy Ferguson, the recreation therapist at the SRU. Her role is to provide a variety of therapeutic activities to the Soldiers in recovery spanning six domains as part of their comprehensive recovery plan: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, family, and career.

“Col. Rivera is passionate about art and gladly shares her knowledge with the Soldiers,” Ferguson said. “As a leader, she has offered to teach art as a way for the Soldiers to connect with themselves and with each other.

“It seems that she truly enjoys in helping others and is especially delighted to guide soldiers as they create an art piece for themselves or for someone else.

“As Col. Rivera said, creating these art pieces help the Soldiers gain confidence and have a sense of accomplishment. I have also seen that providing art (especially pour painting) allows the Soldiers to express themselves in a way that they don’t have to or can’t articulate. It also helps recovering Soldiers self-regulate and the creative process empowers them as they can make choices in their art design and even start over if they chose.”

Ferguson added that Col. Rivera’s passion is infectious and is a wonderful instructor.

“There have been Soldiers who have never experienced art and found that they are quite talented as she guides and teaches them. Also, they have found joy in just staying present in the moment (not thinking about the past or future), experiencing something together – yet separately. That is something which is quite powerful in the healing process.”