The friendship between Keyla Agosto and Eva DeJesus Collazo didn’t make sense on paper.
Agosta is loud, expressive, likes the color pink, and is quick to say “yes” to everything. DeJesus Collazo is quieter, more reserved, prefers the color black, and is deliberate. Agosta loves glitter and team sports. DeJesus Collazo enjoys calmness and individual competitions.
When they first met through the San Juan VA Medical Center in Puerto Rico three years ago, even they noticed the contrast.
“Agosta talks way too much,” DeJesus Collazo said, laughing.
“I talk a lot,” Agosta agreed, also giggling. “We are just super different.”
But what started as difference turned into something deeper.
Collective resilience
The two met while navigating life after separate, life-changing diagnoses. Agosta, an Army Veteran, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). DeJesus Collazo, an Air Force Veteran, sustained a spinal cord injury after a car accident four years ago that left her paralyzed.
Both arrived at that chapter of life differently.
For Agosta, her MS diagnosis brought a period of deep depression.
“I didn’t want to get out of bed,” she said. “My life just stopped.”
Everything shifted when she attended the National Veterans Wheelchair Games. Surrounded by other Veterans with disabilities competing and laughing, something clicked.
“My life has changed, I cannot argue about that,” Agosta said.
DeJesus Collazo’s journey came with a different kind of clarity. After waking from a nine-day coma following her accident, she understood quickly what had happened. The harder part came later: acceptance.
“It got tougher months later, when you realize this is forever,” she said.
But she also found something unexpected in that loss.
“Since the accident, I’m a better person,” DeJesus Collazo said. “And more important, I’ve met better people.”
One of those people was Agosta.
From rehabilitation partners to twin flames
Over time, their friendship grew from chance introduction to daily routine — morning video calls, shared holidays, traveling together, and constant support. Despite their differences, they found alignment in how they approached life moving forward.
“We’re like a puzzle,” Agosta said. “We’re different, but we complement each other.”
That dynamic shows up everywhere.
Agosta pushes DeJesus Collazo to try more. More sports. More experiences. More socializing.
DeJesus Collazo grounds Agosta with a steadier, more direct perspective.
They show up for each other, even when it’s uncomfortable.
“She doesn’t do well with heat because of her diagnosis,” DeJesus Collazo said. “But she still shows up for me.”
Agosta returns the same energy, pulling DeJesus Collazo into activities she might otherwise avoid.
“I don’t like basketball, but here I am going to her basketball tournament,” DeJesus Collazo said while rolling her eyes, jokingly.
Connecting to Veteran wellness communities
Together, they’ve built a life that looks nothing like what either imagined after their diagnoses. Between adaptive sports, travel, school, and advocacy, both women stay busy.
And they’ve become a source of momentum not just for each other, but for other Veterans.
At events like the 40th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, they exchange resources, share experiences, and encourage others who may still be struggling to leave their homes or redefine what life looks like after injury or illness.
For Agosta, that purpose is personal.
“If you think you can’t do something, just try,” she said. “At least try.”
DeJesus Collazo’s message is just as direct.
“Take the chance,” she said. “There’s nothing waiting for you at home.”
Their friendship wasn’t built on similarity. It was built on contrast, honesty, and a shared refusal to stop.
Opposites, undeniably.
But together, they are stronger than either would be alone.