An Iowa man suffering from PTSD says his healing began after a hunting and fishing trip with other veterans to Alaska.
Now the veteran solider, Zac Durham, wants to start a new mission.
Durham’s dream to was to serve in the US Army, however that dream ended three years down the road in 2011, when he was shot in the chest.
“I felt like I always had a positive attitude about it. I was still alive,” he said.
That positivity didn’t keep the post-traumatic stress at bay, unfortunately.
Durham says leaving your brothers behind and returning home alone takes its toll.
“You really feel like you’ve lost something. And that’s where we see a lot of guys have more issues with their PTSD, because they don’t have that kind of close-knit group that they had before. So it can cause you to just feel lost,” he said.
But what’s lost can always be found. A hunting and fishing trip for veterans in Alaska, is what Durham says started his healing process.
“It’s the best kind of therapy you can get. It truly is,” said Durham.
Now, Durham says he wants to bring that same therapy to Iowa. He’s found 13 vets who want to join him. Now they just need to raise the money for the trip by November.
“Because we don’t want anyone to not be able to go because of the money, that’s the most important thing. We don’t want money to be a factor,” he said.
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs says 22 vets commit suicide due to PTSD every day. Durham hopes a simple hunting trip with like-minded people can save lives.
“22, or anywhere around that number, of veterans committing suicide every day, is 22 too many,” he said.
A way to connect every lost veteran, and help them feel found again. These veterans are trying to raise $6500 by November.
For more information on this local veteran’s cause, and to donate to the fundraiser, visit his GoFundMe page, HERE.
