Story co-produced with Daniel Reid Marsha Lee Baker’s story reflects the side of the military community that supports from behind the scenes. The families of service members endures alongside them and their own unseen scars. When service members are battling their demons, their families battle alongside them. Marsha Lee grew up as what the military […]
Tom Baker: A wanna-be warrior
December 8, 2023 by
Story co-produced with Daniel Reid Tom Baker has suffered from PTSD for over 50 years. He enlisted in the Army and was overseas fighting in Vietnam at 19 years old. “Nineteen years old and you think you’re God’s gift to the war,” Tom said. “I wanted to jump out of airplanes. I wanted to get […]
Austin Summers: Overcoming Afghanistan and finding community
December 7, 2023 by
Story co-produced with Daniel Reid When people think of veterans, they think of people like Tom Baker. Yet combat trauma does not discriminate based on age. Austin Summers is a 25-year-old combat veteran. He served in Afghanistan for roughly six months and lost three of his friends. Austin enlisted in October 2016 and shipped out […]
The untold stories of PTSD: The veteran community at WCU speaks about their military experiences
December 7, 2023 by
Story co-produced with Daniel Reid Many holidays are set aside to honor, remember and celebrate the courage of military members, active, retired and reserves. From the civilian perspective, these holidays are three-day weekends off of work, cookouts with family and days to party. For the military community, these holidays have a deeper meaning. Memorial Day […]
“In The Soundless Awe” is raising awareness of PTSD
November 16, 2016 by
After years of being haunted by the past, there’s only so much any man can take. Guilt can take its toll. Western Carolina University’s School of Stage and Screen presents “In the Soundless Awe,” a historical genre play co-written by Jayme McGhan, associate professor and director of the school. The production, part of WCU’s Mainstage […]
Unseen Scars: The battle against PTSD
March 27, 2015 by
“There’s light at the end of the tunnel, you just have to find it. But no matter how successful you get, it will always stay with you,” said marine veteran Erik Watkins. He was talking about PTSD. The National Center for PTSD says that a post-traumatic stress disorder begins when someone goes through, sees, or learns about a […]
