Bengals help build a ramp for a veteran who can no longer walk

CINCINNATI (WXIX) - Some Cincinnati Bengals players and a non-profit stepped up to help a Cincinnati veteran in Golf Manor on Tuesday.

58-year-old James Angel began his 11-year stint in the U.S. Army in 1984.

“I was a tank mechanic. I only went in for the Army college fund,” Angel said.

However, after Angel got out of the Army, he started having health issues that put him in the hospital.

During that time, he also developed foot sores and now he can’t walk.

Angel says when he was released from the hospital the only thing he worried about was getting up the three steps into his home.

“I was scheduling out all my appointments after he got out of school so I could get down the steps,” Angel said.

But that won’t be the case anymore thanks to a new home addition.

“They got ahold of Operation Ramp It Up and this is what we do. We put in wheelchair ramps,” Greg Schneider, CEO and founder of Ramp It Up, said.

Schneider says Operation Ramp It Up partnered with local organizations including the Cincinnati Bengals to make a ramp for Angel possible.

“I can’t thank the Bengals organization and the Salute to Service grant we got from the NFL enough. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them,” Schneider said.

“Our role is really just to assist in building the ramp. Be a little bit more of the muscle I guess. There are some strong guys out here but it doesn’t hurt to have more,” Allan George, Bengals cornerback, said.

George was joined by three more of his teammates.

He says being a part of Angel’s special day was the least he could do.

“Cincinnati is such a community that gives to us as fans, so it’s really easy to want to give back to these guys,” George said.

“I like to give back to veterans just because we wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for veterans giving us back our freedom,” Schneider said.

Schneider says Operation Ramp It Up has installed ramps in all 50 states.

He says Angel’s ramp in Cincinnati is the 240th.

“It’s unbelievable. I haven’t had a chance to process everything, but I feel like a kid on Christmas,” Angel said.

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