ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — From defending freedom around the world to entertaining audiences across the country, there is a band of military veterans creating hope and inspiration everywhere they go. On Friday, June 20, they will take the stage at Jannus Live in St. Petersburg.
From a lead singer in a wheelchair, to a one-armed drummer, to a guitarist with a prosthetic leg, every veteran musician has been to the brink and back. They call themselves The Resilient.
“I got hit in Afghanistan, it was an IED buried in a wall next to me,” said lead singer Tim Donley, who lost both his legs and suffered permanent injuries to one arm.
Donley spent three years recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center. That’s where he discovered the MusiCorps Program.
“It’s really where we came together, found our passion for music, but also working together and performing with a purpose,” said Donley.
In 2012, Donley, along with some of the other veterans from the program, were approached by one of rock and roll’s biggest names.
“We did a show with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd for Stand Up For Heroes, and he wanted injured vets to play with him on stage, and that’s how we kind of ended up with this group, and the rest, as they say, is history,” said Donley.
Fast forward to 2025, The Resilient have now performed in dozens of cities across the country, offering free concerts for military veterans and first responders.
Drummer Juan Dominguez said his favorite part of the band is being around so many good musicians who have also experienced similar circumstances.
“It's home, it’s familiar. Tim is in a wheelchair, I’m in a wheelchair. We’re together,” said Dominguez.
Dominguez was a guitarist when he entered the military. After losing both legs and one arm in combat, he could have easily quit music altogether, but instead, he just switched instruments.
“I never thought once when I lost my arm or my legs that I wouldn’t play music again. It was just a matter of how I’m going to do this again, so music has always been my second language, and it’s all I know,” said Dominguez.
Guitarist Nathan Kalwicki said he knew the band was therapeutic for him, but what he didn’t expect was the impact it would have on the audience.
“They were sort of telling us stories of how it affected them. It gave them some hope, some inspiration, could give them a little spark,” said Kalwicki.
They’ve even started writing their own songs, incorporating their personal journeys into the lyrics. The Resilient aren’t just a voice on stage, but a voice of the community.
“And have our own message for veterans, but people in general, that you know that we are all resilient, we all have that steel, that fire buried in us. Sometimes we just need that reminder,” said Donley.
The Resilient performs Friday at 7 p.m. at Jannus Live. Military veterans and first responders are admitted free of charge. For more information, go to jannuslive.com or theresilientband.com.
“I didn't see anything"
Nine-year-old Leah Lendel and her family were enjoying a day at the beach in Boca Grande when a shark bit her hand. Over a week later, she appeared at a press conference with her family at Tampa General Hospital to give an update on her recovery.
