Harmar Brand Ambassadors Return Home Highly Decorated after the 44th National Veterans Wheelchair Games
SARASOTA, Fla., July 28, 2025—Harmar Mobility celebrates another successful year at the 44th National Veterans Wheelchair Games with their brand ambassador adaptive athletes, Twila Adams (Army Veteran) and John Papai (Marine Corps Veteran). Held in Minneapolis, MN, 537 Veterans gathered to compete in their favorite sports, while sharing some friendly banter between teams and basking in the inevitable comradery. Twila and John are no strangers to the Games, both with multiple years under their belts.
Since 2018, Twila has been part of Team Harmar as the company’s first brand ambassador and is a retired US Army non-commissioned officer (NCO). In 1980, she joined the Army, serving as an NCO in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm before leaving the military in 1991 due to medical issues. Three years later, a car accident left her with broken C4 and C5 vertebrae, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down. Her physicians told her she would never walk again, but Twila took that challenge and ran with it. She proved her strength and grit once again, and was able to regain partial use of her arms and right leg. This year, the award-winning and Pickleball Paralympic hopeful took home gold in bowling and air rifle; silver in javelin, shot put, and discus; and bronze in pistol.
Going on his third Games sponsored by Harmar, John grand-slammed his way to winning silver in softball, shooting, and pistol, and bronze in adaptive fitness. The Marine Corps Veteran and prior law enforcement officer suffered multiple knee injuries during his time with the Marines. This eventually led to a whopping 23 surgeries and the difficult decision to amputate his leg from above the knee, ultimately ending his career with law enforcement. However, he didn’t let his physical disability stop him – he traded in his police badge for ski poles, leading him to a blossoming life in adaptive sports including three-track skiing, swimming, field sports, and wheelchair basketball and softball.
Next year, Harmar is thrilled to participate again in the 45th National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Detroit, Michigan. The medals are always fun to see the athletes earn; but supporting them as they follow their hearts is the true gold. Harmar will always be there to cheer on Twila and John as they help support Harmar’s mission of lifting lives by showing up every day and never giving up when life throws them curveballs.