Diego C. Rodriguez-Delgado

Diego was born and raised in a secluded village in El Salvador. His arrival was unplanned, the result of an affair, and his family made little effort to hide their preference for his younger brother, who was born within marriage. Often overlooked, Diego became more of a child of the village than of his own family, depending on neighbors and villagers for care and attention.

When Diego was eight, his village was raided. To this day, he remains uncertain about who the attackers were. What he does remember is the searing pain and the scars left behind—one on his left shoulder, the other on his side. The most haunting memory, however, was witnessing the death of his best friend right before his eyes. The trauma of that day left Diego with deep emotional scars as well, causing him to develop severe social anxiety and eventually rendering him selectively mute. However, his experience left him with a new found ability of Rapid Regeneration.

After the raid, Diego was rescued by two reporters who had been covering the conflict. The couple, moved by his plight, took him in and brought him to the United States, where he began a new life in Houston, Texas.

Adjusting to his new home was difficult at first, but Diego found his footing. During high school, he joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA) team, where he discovered a passion for science that eventually led him to pursue astrophysics in college.

Now, having earned his degree, Diego lives in Dallas, Texas, ready to begin the next chapter of his life—or so he thought.