Since 2007, the Arizona Diamondbacks have recognized an individual for their advocacy, leadership and service to strengthen the Hispanic community in Arizona. The first award was given to Pete Garcia for his leadership in representing the Hispanic community in the areas of change and justice, and in recognition of trail blazing work, the award now bears his name.
When Vice Admiral Dr. Richard Carmona stepped onto the field to accept the 2026 Pete Garcia Hispanic Leadership Award, presented by the Los D-backs Hispanic Council and the Arizona Diamondbacks, it represented far more than a ceremonial triumph. It stood as a celebration of an extraordinary, improbable life journey anchored in humble service, resilience, and a relentless commitment to lifting up others.
A tale of a kid playing baseball in a Harlem neighborhood, without uniforms and makeshift bases, to becoming the Surgeon General of the United States. Dr. Carmona’s story represents the power of perseverance, education, and community advocacy.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Richard Carmona and, in a once in a lifetime opportunity, the honor of writing this story alongside Curtis Johnson, who nominated Dr. Carmona for the award. Richard’s story is one of inspiration and encouragement, and we hope that you too will be inspired as you read his amazing trajectory.
Long before earning doctorates, military commendations, or cabinet-level honors, Richard Carmona, the oldest of four children, was born to poor Puerto Rican parents in Harlem, New York. He was raised in poverty with his family experiencing homelessness twice, relying on the generosity of friends and relatives to survive, where he learned how giving transforms lives.
He shared that his childhood memories were shaped by simple pleasures and the vibrant pulse of New York sports culture. “I played Little League and pony league baseball in the ‘hood’," he said. "No uniforms, just shirts, so we were a ragtag group of happy kids playing ball.”
Living near the historic Polo Grounds before the New York Giants moved to San Francisco, a young Carmona caught glimpses of legend Willie Mays. To support himself and his family, he took his very first job walking across the Macombs Dam Bridge into the South Bronx to sell hot dogs, peanuts, and sodas in the stands at Yankee Stadium.
Dr. Carmona delightedly shared, “At Yankee stadium I met all the Yankees. Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Hector Lopez, Yogi Berra, Clete Boyer and Joe DiMaggio, who would come to the clubhouse which was next to the place we picked up our hot dogs and soda for sale.”
These encounters left him with memorable keepsakes, including a Mickey Mantle signed baseball and a Casey Stengel signed “batting order” card. Carmona shared the story behind the batting order card saying, “he threw it down after a loss and I picked it up and asked to keep it. He said OK and signed it." Yet, beneath the excitement of stadium life lay a sobering reality which Carmona openly shares. He was an average student and eventually dropped out of high school to work and, as he recalls, “find myself.” Neither he nor his siblings finished high school at the time, which “broke my mother Lucy’s heart, whose simplest dream was merely to attend a high school graduation."
Through it all, his mother remained his guiding moral compass:
“My drive to serve started with my mom Lucy, the eternal optimist who always encouraged me to help others in our community which was largely a black and brown ‘hood’ and now I feel it’s my obligation and privilege to pay it back and inspire others to achieve their fullest potential.”
Richard’s life trajectory shifted dramatically when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He earned his GED while in uniform and rose to become a combat-decorated Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces, non-commissioned officer, serving as a combat medic during the Vietnam era. It was in the military that he adopted a motto that would define his entire career sharing, “In special forces we learned that the only easy day was yesterday!”
After Vietnam combat service, Carmona reverted to Army reserve status to start college and pursue a medicine. The road was tough, he lacked a high school transcript and had never taken college entrance exams. Fortunately, he had “angels” watching over him; his former high school counselors had tracked his military progress and helped enroll him in a special program for returning veterans at Bronx Community College.
Driven by discipline rather than privilege, Carmona became an honor student while working nights to support his expanding family; married, welcomed his first child, and later adopted three more children. Two with special needs overcame significant challenges to become productive citizens.
Carmona headed west upon the encouragement of his military "battle buddies" in California. There he completed his undergraduate degree while working at night as an RN paramedic supervisor in the ER. He was then was accepted to numerous prestigious colleges but chose the University of California, SF due to its exceptional scientific and cultural environment.
Carmona excelled at UCSF, graduating in three years and receiving the coveted Gold Cane as the top graduate in his class. He completed his surgical residency at UCSF alongside an NIH research fellowship, laying the groundwork for a distinguished career in academic medicine.
In 1985, Dr. Carmona was recruited to Tucson by the University of Arizona and Tucson Medical Center and established the first ACS-certified Trauma care system.
Driven by his passion for tactical medical support and community protection, Dr. Carmona joined the Pima County Sheriff’s Department while continuing his surgical practice. Drawing heavily on his Special Forces background, he became SWAT team leader and search-and-rescue provider, dedicating over three decades to law enforcement.
His decorated service made him one of the most recognized law enforcement officers in Arizona history, earning the Police Medal of Honor, the Medal of Valor, the Medal of Merit, two Purple Hearts, the National Top Cop Award, and induction as one of only 7 members in history into the National SWAT Hall of Honor/Heroes by the National Tactical Officers Association.
While serving as a UA professor and Tucson’s Trauma and EMS Director, he attended graduate school at night to earn a master’s degree and deepen his understanding of health systems and the business of medicine.
Soon afterward, when Pima County’s public hospital, known as Kino Hospital, faced financial ruin, Dr. Carmona stepped up as CEO to prevent its closure. He states “I did so by building an exceptional, selfless team united by the privilege of caring for underserved communities.” His efforts succeeded and his Master’s thesis proposed reorganizing the entire county health care system through a partnership with the UA, an arrangement that continues decades later. His thesis formed the strategic roadmap that successfully integrated Kino Hospital into the University of Arizona health system, saving crucial medical services for vulnerable Hispanic and Native American populations.
Dr. Carmona’s national impact culminated when the President of the United States nominated him to serve as the 17th Surgeon General of the United States. He made history by becoming the first Surgeon General ever confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate, serving with the rank of Vice Admiral.
For a kid who had dropped out of high school in Harlem, standing in the nation's center of power was a profoundly moving moment. As the interview continues, this was a specially emotional period for Dr. Carmona. “I have many unique and special moments ... But the greatest moment may be me and my family were in the White House Oval Office with the POTUS and cabinet members where the president publicly nominated me on national television to become the US Surgeon General. Still gives me goose bumps! … I remember thinking about my deceased mom and saying to myself, 'I’m sorry I let you down and dropped out but I hope this makes up for it.'”
And back to baseball … his tenure as Surgeon General brought unforgettable full-circle moments back to Major League Baseball parks. In 2005, the Coca-Cola Company and Yankee Stadium owner George Steinbrenner invited Admiral Carmona back to Yankee Stadium to celebrate "Admiral Richard Carmona Day."
He shared with emotion again, “I threw out the first pitch in uniform luckily a strike since the president warned me not to embarrass the administration! I sat in the dugout with the team next to coach Joe Torre! The Yankees presented me with a Yankee jersey with my name and first pitch inscribed. A surreal day!!” He experienced a similar honor years later at Fenway Park in Boston, representing veterans and throwing out the first pitch before hundreds of service members. Through it all, his family kept him grounded with sharp humor:
“My family has a good sense of humor, kids and grandkids said, 'couldn't they find a more qualified person?' 'You better throw a strike ... we don't want to be embarrassed,' and of course my wife put it in perspective, by saying, 'Was this a senior or AARP gig to make old guys feel good?!”
Today, Dr. Carmona serves as Distinguished Laureate Professor of Public Health and Surgery at the University of Arizona and Chief of Health Innovations. His leadership extends to corporate governance, serving on public boards for major corporations including Axon, Clorox, McKesson, and Herbalife, as well as advising several successful startups.
Yet, despite his corporate and academic stature, his core focus remains on the next generation, particularly minority pre-med students, health professionals, and at-risk youth:
“Teaching and inspiring students at the University of Arizona to include minority pre med and health professions students to don't just pass a course excel and think beyond where u r to where u want to be to make a difference in a divided nation and world that separately needs you. I never forget the privilege of contributing to the next generation of leaders .... they often thank me for my passion and commitment and I tell them don't thank me because I realize that in a few years you will be caring for me and or making policy decisions so I'm just selfishly making sure you are ready for the responsibility.”
Reflecting on his continuous drive to serve, Dr. Carmona laughs about his family's loving reactions:
“None of the aforementioned would have been possible without a very supportive family who after a while would joke, there he goes again trying to save the world! Don Quixote tilting at windmills!”
Receiving the Pete Garcia Hispanic Leadership Award from the Los D-backs Hispanic Council and the Arizona Diamondbacks is a fitting tribute to a lifetime spent in service of others. For Dr. Carmona, however, awards are secondary to the real work of community transformation; “It feels truly surreal and not expected for as important as this amazing event is the rewards I really appreciate are when I see underserved kids graduating and exceeding family expectations, when I see lives saved and communities uniting with common purpose, when I see peace, opportunity and prosperity where there was once blight, Where we prevent all preventable disease, where no child in the world dies from hunger, where maternal morbidity and mortality is no longer a challenge in the US and the world, where people do not resort to violence and guns to express their frustration or disapproval and maybe most importantly that our elected officials figure out how to work together in a civil manner for the benefit of humanity and not a political party ...”
As Dr. Carmona looks toward the future, his mission remains crystal clear: to advocate for equity, build bridges across divides, and empower those who follow in his footsteps.
“It was always important to send the elevator back down for others once you have fortunately made it to the top! ... For those of us who have achieved much … much is expected in return. It is incumbent of us to pay it forward. We have far more in common than what we allow to divide us! So if I can continue to contribute to this imagined ideal endpoint/value proposition then that is the legacy I desire.”
We are so fortunate to share this special full circle moment with you Dr. Carmona during Arizona Diamondbacks Hispanic Heritage Weekend at Chase Field, where the only pressure to throw a strike came from your family. You delivered the pitch over the plate while proudly wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks jersey with “Carmona” shining across the back -- a fitting tribute to an Arizona hero.
Congratulations to you and your family, you are now an important part of the Diamondbacks family!