"Two months before going to The Warrior Connection I had a run-in with suicide. I hated myself and was tired of the burden I placed on my family. I had never been so close to ending my life. It took hours of struggling. Finger on the trigger and the hammer back. I couldn’t do it. I felt like I was a coward and weak for not pulling that trigger. After that, a friend and mentor, A.J. Page, convinced me to meet Dr. Anne Black from The Warrior Connection.
When I first meet Anne, I didn’t know what to think. I was on guard and defensive. She convinced me to go to the retreat and give it a try. When I arrived I was full of hate and self-loathing. I felt like, this was going to be a waste of time, right? I mean, what could six days do that years of therapy couldn’t?
I can tell you it was hard the first few days. The program at The Warrior Connection has a way of making you face your demons in an environment that is safe, understanding, and loving. I remember waking up one morning and feeling happy; not just happy but like a giddy, almost like a kid again. I truly believe it was the happiest I had felt in close to a decade.
At The Warrior Connection I found peace, understanding, and love. I wrote a children’s book about my struggles and the changes in me since being in the military and how I felt after being at The Warrior Connection. I even had an image come to me that was so powerful I had to have it painted.
Upon returning home my family saw me in a new light and to me, it was like I was really coming home to them for the first time since my service.
For other vets out there, it is important for you to understand your worth and to know you are loved. PTSD is real whether you want to admit it or not. Please take the time and attend The Warrior Connection.
I know you have obligations in your life whether it's family or work. What you need to understand is you have an obligation to yourself and by helping to heal yourself and love yourself, that’s does so much to help your family. I can tell you from my experience at The Warrior Connection it saved my life.
Please remember your worth saving and you're worth loving. Make the trip, attend a TWC retreat! I am so glad I did."
Comments