Weekends With Warriors (W3) gave me a much-needed Mental Reset at the most detrimental point of my Life
As an Army Infantry Sniper most of my 16 years of service was spent in combat deployments (6) overseas serving our great Country. I help to lead the fight against terrorism during this Global War (during OIF and OEF) sustaining two gun- shot wounds, a moderate TBI, spinal cord and neck injuries, and the worst PTSD/ survivor’s guilt. I became someone hiding from my darkest moments in life and was in complete isolation. While serving in the Army I gained a brotherhood that nothing can compare too. While battling cancer and still wearing the uniform my brothers had deployed without me losing six.
As a child that grew up in Miami, I was always playing sports, fishing, and scuba diving. It was later in my adult years I took up hunting. While serving I later became a family man. I was married on 30 March 2010 and later I became a father in 2012. It was while I was battling cancer in 2015 where my wife knew my mental health was taking a turning for the worst. I went from only knowing a military lifestyle and it was drilled into us and when it was taken from me my life was going black. With 3 suicide attempts to escape the pain in my body, the cancer medication that was killing my body, and most of all my family having to experience severe verbal abuse.
Grady Davis and the Weekends With Warriors (W3) organization came in my life and was there with support of other service members that were or have been experiencing the same life situations as myself. This was so impactful for me. The camaraderie that I lost when my service was cut short was a key factor to my survival and this program allowed me to get that again. The things that Weekends With Warriors (W3) provides to us is off shore fishing, live concerts, NASCAR experience, and its all being shared with other service members who are experiencing the same demons. When doing outdoor experiences we are completing them as a group to where its therapeutic at the same time for some hating the large crowds to others being on guard. While doing these events we get the camaraderie and we gain new brothers. We start to feel whole again, and find a sfae space to talk about our problems and it also allows us to build a support system again. It is almost like being the service again.
I had the honor of participating in a weekend fishing trip where I joined a few other Special Operations guys and caught fish. While on the boat I was able to sit back and have the mental reset I needed and saw what I could have lost and realized how much pain I caused my family in the past. Grady saw me by myself and I broke down into tears finally after not having a tear to shed in years. It was Grady who became not only a friend but my brother. I’m here standing today as a Husband, Father, A Son and able to talk and now able to share my story with others who are experiencing the same problems, and I have Weekends With Warriors (W3) to thank for it all. I want to thank all the supporters and donors of this great organization. YOU are all saving lives by allowing these outdoor experiences to keep going. Thank you again for all of your love and support I would not be here if it was not for your contributions.
Very Respectively,
SFC John Thomas
US ARMY RETIRED