Veteran Helped and Honored, Thanks to Volunteer Pilots
Statistics and Survivor’s Guilt
Tina is a Veteran of the Army. Her story begins with impressive numbers. “I was in the military for 11 years, 22 countries, four deployments, and two tours of combat.” In that time, she achieved the rank of Sergeant. These statistics would call for great honor – but in 2004, Tina faced unimaginable horror. She was helping some Iraqi contractors when an explosion went off. Some of the contractors and service members got out safely. Tina went to search for a contractor who she had been working alongside.
“I didn’t see him,” said Tina. “I thought if only I had better eyes, I would have seen him, perhaps been able to render first aid and saved him, and he wouldn’t have died.” She adds, “I had survivor’s guilt for a long time.”
When Tina retired, the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress, or PTS, set in. "My soul felt disconnected from my physical body,” said Tina. “I felt like I was just walking through life like a ghost.”
Once Limited...
Tina’s doctor recommended that she should attend a Lone Survivor Foundation healing retreat in North Carolina. Someone from the Wounded Warrior Project contacted her as well, asking her to participate in a Veterans’ Day march in New Jersey. These were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that would help Tina heal.
There was just one problem. She couldn’t afford the costs of long-distance travel. Even if she could, flying on commercial airlines would be too stressful for her. How would Tina get to the Lone Survivor Foundation retreat and the Wounded Warrior Project march?
...Now Limitless
That was when Mercy Medical Angels’ program for Veterans flew to the rescue. Tina was able to fly with a volunteer pilot in a private aircraft, greatly decreasing her stress. Her pilot, George, has been flying for 50 years and is a Veteran of the Air Force. Tina said of her flight with George: “It was the greatest thing to be able to sit there with another Veteran. I felt safe... all my worries were gone."
Tina also met someone new on her flight: a reporter from ABC News! That, along with the flight itself, was an amazing new experience for Tina. She said that seeing the world from the cockpit was “mesmerizing.”
“I am grateful for the flight,” said Tina. “But I’m more grateful for the fact that my pilot George walked a mile in my shoes and knows what it means to serve. And to know that we did that together - that meant something special to me.”
"Just Remember..."
Now, Tina is back home from the Lone Survivor Foundation retreat and the Wounded Warrior Project march. She is thankful for the healing that Mercy Medical Angels’ program for Veterans made possible for her.
When Tina wrote a thank you letter, she offered a piece of wisdom: “Just remember, you can turn your silent struggle into profound strength.” It’s clear that Tina was both helped and honored by the efforts of volunteer pilots. And many other Veterans like her will experience the same.
Read More Patient Stories
