Veterans with PTSD making progress thanks to service dog program
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- Опубликовано: 4 дек 2024
- (11 Nov 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Kansas City, Kansas - 7 November 2024
1. Heather O’Brien walking towards camera with Albus
2. Close up of Lexi and Rosie
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sandra Sindeldecker, Program Manager, Dogs 4 Valor:
“A lot of times the veteran with severe PTSD is, you know, homebound. They're isolated. They're very nervous. They won't make eye contact. Some won't leave the house at all. And by the end of the service dog program, they're coming out with their dogs.”
4. Close up of Mark and Timothy
5. Close up of Rosie
6. SOUNDBITE (English) First Sgt. Timothy Siebenmorgen, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army, retired:
“If it seems like I'm depressed or I'm down in the dumps. You know, we’re going to a teach her to come and give me a hug or nudge on me. If I’ve got too much anxiety, she’ll like rest her chin on my lap.”
7. Rosie walking down store aisle
8. Lexi walking towards Mark
9. SOUNDBITE (English) First Sgt. Timothy Siebenmorgen, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army, retired:
“Now I have more of a drive, you know, and I feel more outgoing. Like I want to, you know, do things because I'm happier, I guess.”
10. Rosie getting out of car
11. Close up behind Lexi
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Cpl. Mark Atkinson, U.S. Marine Corps, retired:
“I've been diagnosed with PTSD, major depressive disorder. And that in itself just really led me to Dogs 4 Valor and the Battle Within. Doing a combat deployment in Afghanistan. You know, we definitely and being infantry you know, we there's the things that happened and it's different in person. Right.”
13. Mark walking down store aisle with Lexi
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Cpl. Mark Atkinson, U.S. Marine Corps, retired:
“She's been through everything with me. You know, even when she wasn't a service dog, she made me feel normal.”
15. Lexi sitting next to Mark
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Cpl. Mark Atkinson, U.S. Marine Corps, retired:
“You know, get along with people and not as stressed, not have as much anxiety or even if I do, you know, Lexi’s right there with me.”
17. Close up of Heather and Albus
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien, U.S. Air Force veteran:
“I deal with PTSD. Pretty severe anxiety. I have some leftovers from a MST that happened years and years ago, and it's just makes me nervous to be around people, just really on guard in areas that are open or crowded. So basically, anywhere besides my house.”
19. Close up of Albus
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien, U.S. Air Force veteran:
“When I got home, I just wasn't. I was on edge all the time. And when I got out of the military, I just assumed that you're supposed to be on edge all the time as a veteran.”
21. Heather and Albus in parking lot
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien, U.S. Air Force veteran:
“I needed somebody something to push me because I wasn't going to push myself anymore. I kind of given up on trying. And so, yeah, I needed that. And it just now it's slowly changing into an adventure of what, what can we do?”
23. Albus running to Heather
24. SOUNDBITE (English) Cpl. Mark Atkinson, U.S. Marine Corps, retired:
“You'll get through it. You know, just keep your head up. You know, we just don't want to be that number 22. So. Yeah. Get the help that you need.”
25. Timothy and Mark sitting with Rosie and Lexi
STORYLINE:
After working at a crowded and dangerous internment camp in Iraq, Air Force Staff Sgt. Heather O'Brien brought home with her anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
A bouncy labradoodle and a Kansas City-area program helped her get back on her feet.
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Fantastic program! Bravo!☀️
Dogs are the best 🥺🥺🥺🥺
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚