Wounded veterans find a peaceful place to play

Erin Booke of the Dallas Morning News published this heartwarming article on 23 May 2012.

The young men in kayaks arrive at the muddy shore of Moss Lake near Gainesville, smiling and mocking each other’s fishing skills. They seem relaxed, miles away in body, mind and spirit from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan and the injuries they suffered there.
Many of the veterans don’t look injured. They don’t have missing limbs or visible scars. Most have traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and soft-tissue injuries. They are suffering on the inside, and every day is a battle since they returned from war. But today, out on the water, they are happy.

These wounded warriors are taking steps toward recovery thanks to Heroes on the Water, an Allen-based nonprofit created by fellow veteran Jim Dolan. He and his team of volunteers organize kayak fishing outings for veterans who are suffering from war disabilities.

“It’s the best therapy I’ve ever had,” says Ray Queen of Weatherford. Queen served one 15-month tour in Iraq from 2006 to 2008 where he suffered two traumatic brain injuries. He’s also been diagnosed with PTSD and fibromyalgia and takes 22 pills a day, including mood stabilizers, dream suppressors and muscle relaxers. He’s in constant pain and can’t have children, and he’s had multiple cavities because of the pills. He’s 25.

“I still have two head doctors. But there’s nothing like [kayaking]. I get lost. I forget to smoke, eat, drink. It’s all about fishing,” he says.

‘Whoa, what just happened?’         Click to READ MORE...

Bragg N' Barn Makes it Happen for Heroes

The Bragg N' Barn, a local thrift shop on the Fort Bragg post, awarded a $325 donation to the Fort Bragg/Cape Fear chapter of Heroes on the Water.Michelle Little, Chapter Coordinator, said that the contribution will directly support our primary mission of getting folks on the water to experience the benefits of kayak fishing and the outdoors, and we are incredibly grateful."

On Thursday, May 17th, Manager, Christiane Leake, and Assistant Manager,Gwen Hudson, with a Certificate of Appreciation for their support.

Details about the Bragg N' Barn can be found on their website http://www.fbthriftshop.com/home.shtml. More information about Heroes on the Water can be found at http://www.heroesonthewater.org.



Freedom Captured.

Erie veteran heads up Texas-based Heroes on the Water program

For many veterans, coping with the horrors of combat is a lifelong battle in itself. Many return home only
to face a long and emotional war against the memories of fighting overseas.

Kody Wilson has taken his post-war life  down a productive avenue to help other combat veterans in the healing process. Wilson, a 2004 graduate of Erie High School, is the coordinator of the Brooke Army 

Medical Center chapter of Heroes on the Water (HOW), which is an extension of the Wounded Warriors program.

Wilson lost his left leg following a tour-ofduty in Iraq in an improvised explosive device  (IED) attack. He also sustained a fractured femur and heel in his right leg, a shattered left elbow and three fractures in his spine, along with a mild traumatic brain injury. He underwent rehab at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Read more at http://dl.dropbox.com/u/72650552/March_24_25__2012%20article%20on%20Kody.pdf

Freedom Captured.