WEBVTT - DAV Hour 3 0:00:00.150 --> 0:00:04.590 This hour is brought to you by Kelly Financial Services. 0:00:05.170 --> 0:00:09.040 If you want to donate, call 978-632-1985, 978-632-1985, or visit dav5k. 0:00:08.460 --> 0:00:10.060 Boston, dav5k. boston. 0:00:09.619 --> 0:00:12.039 I want to give a big shout-out and a huge 0:00:12.080 --> 0:00:22.119 thank you to a gentleman in Raynham, $ 9, 000. 0:00:30.310 --> 0:00:36.019 Donation. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. 0:00:36.900 --> 0:00:42.520 And I also, I'm joined in studio now by William 0:00:42.680 --> 0:00:47.390 Kelly Jr. He is an advisor at Kelly Financial Services. 0:00:47.890 --> 0:00:50.150 He is also, I kid you not, at this very 0:00:50.190 --> 0:00:53.790 young age, he's a college student, He's actually a published author. 0:00:54.410 --> 0:00:55.130 No kidding. 0:00:56.130 --> 0:01:00.090 He's the author of Only the Good Invest Young. I'm 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.340 in the book. It's an impressive book. You can get 0:01:02.380 --> 0:01:04.040 it at Kelly Financial Services. 0:01:04.980 --> 0:01:07.119 William, how are you? 0:01:07.360 --> 0:01:10.580 And I want to thank you, your mom, your sister, 0:01:11.180 --> 0:01:15.700 everybody at Kelly Financial for sponsoring this hour and for 0:01:15.830 --> 0:01:17.450 all your support for the DAV. 0:01:18.730 --> 0:01:21.880 Jeff, I feel privileged to be here. And I want 0:01:21.920 --> 0:01:24.080 to speak about the last caller, Deborah. I want to 0:01:24.140 --> 0:01:27.610 say that your courage is commendable and you are an incredible, 0:01:27.750 --> 0:01:31.090 brave individual. And your story was very moving. I just 0:01:31.130 --> 0:01:34.869 want to say that outright. Life has been fantastic. The 0:01:34.890 --> 0:01:37.910 business is doing very well. And we've been in a 0:01:37.970 --> 0:01:40.270 very blessed position lately. And it feels great to be 0:01:40.290 --> 0:01:42.690 in iHeart Studio to see everybody, to see Dan, Bob, 0:01:43.060 --> 0:01:45.449 and you and yourself. And I just briefly about you, 0:01:45.459 --> 0:01:46.660 if you remind me your name, please. 0:01:46.880 --> 0:01:47.259 Coleman. 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:48.120 Coleman. 0:01:48.160 --> 0:01:49.480 It's a pleasure to meet Coleman as well. 0:01:49.580 --> 0:01:50.840 Coleman's going to be on after you. 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:51.420 Awesome. 0:01:51.500 --> 0:01:55.730 Fantastic. We're very proud to support the DAV once again 0:01:55.770 --> 0:01:57.890 this year and the sponsor of the hour. Again, it 0:01:57.950 --> 0:02:00.850 is a privilege. And my father, my late father, was 0:02:00.910 --> 0:02:03.390 such a huge supporter of this organization. You guys do 0:02:03.410 --> 0:02:05.940 fantastic work. So I'm proud to be here. 0:02:06.940 --> 0:02:10.140 William, I just want to ask, you're a young man, 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:13.620 obviously very mature for your age, very accomplished for your age. 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:13.910 Thank you. 0:02:15.080 --> 0:02:19.639 Why disabled American veterans? Why do you, obviously your mom, 0:02:19.680 --> 0:02:23.940 Kelly Kelly, and your sister, Mary Madeline, but why does 0:02:23.980 --> 0:02:28.519 Kelly Financial and you, William Kelly, why do you care 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:32.600 so much to support and promote the DAV? 0:02:33.620 --> 0:02:37.340 The individuals who are disabled due to service have literally 0:02:37.380 --> 0:02:42.410 given limb or another sort of area of their life, 0:02:42.430 --> 0:02:44.850 it could be mental as well, but They have given 0:02:44.950 --> 0:02:48.750 something up for our country, for our freedom, and for 0:02:48.790 --> 0:02:54.669 our ability to live under the Constitution. The DAV helps 0:02:54.750 --> 0:02:59.010 those who are severely in need or need that extra support. 0:02:59.720 --> 0:03:03.060 That type of organization is something that we would uniquely support, 0:03:03.100 --> 0:03:07.680 especially since our role as service people and helping others, 0:03:08.520 --> 0:03:12.100 it really coincides with our mission as a company. And 0:03:13.070 --> 0:03:15.389 I mean, I am a little biased because my father 0:03:15.430 --> 0:03:19.950 loved the organization as well, but you guys genuinely do 0:03:20.010 --> 0:03:22.750 good work. The money goes directly to people who need it, 0:03:23.350 --> 0:03:26.750 to disabled American veterans. And the proof is in the 0:03:26.790 --> 0:03:29.680 pudding because I meet people who have been impacted by 0:03:29.690 --> 0:03:33.720 the DAV myself here in the studio or in other 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:38.400 situations whenever I have the opportunity to. And there's no, 0:03:38.900 --> 0:03:41.760 it's not like, It all directly goes to, say, marketing 0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:43.960 like a lot of charities, or it all directly just 0:03:44.000 --> 0:03:47.190 goes to administration, but it goes to people. Those types 0:03:47.250 --> 0:03:51.230 of charities are rare, and those types of charities are commendable. 0:03:51.710 --> 0:03:55.690 So personally, I think the DAV is a fantastic organization, 0:03:55.730 --> 0:03:59.790 especially the Massachusetts one, DAVMA. And I know that we're 0:03:59.810 --> 0:04:02.910 helping our local community, and it's helping the folks that 0:04:03.510 --> 0:04:06.590 are neighbors. So that's all I have to say in 0:04:06.670 --> 0:04:08.050 that matter, in that respect. 0:04:10.850 --> 0:04:14.290 Bob, I know you knew his father very well. You 0:04:14.330 --> 0:04:17.630 and I go back many years. He was just a little, 0:04:17.680 --> 0:04:20.300 what was he, four or five years old? He was 0:04:20.339 --> 0:04:22.900 barely as tall as my knee. And look at him now. 0:04:22.920 --> 0:04:27.220 He's lifting weights. He's a wrestler. He's an accomplished author. 0:04:27.260 --> 0:04:30.500 He can probably body slam me, body slam you. 0:04:30.520 --> 0:04:35.630 What happened? He was pitching pennies the first time. 0:04:35.450 --> 0:04:38.229 I met him in the office. 0:04:38.790 --> 0:04:38.890 And? 0:04:39.779 --> 0:04:42.919 It was one of those situations where, I mean, you 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:48.270 could see the twinkle in your dad's eye. He just 0:04:48.370 --> 0:04:54.169 adored you. So for him, he took a shining to 0:04:54.210 --> 0:04:59.830 the DAV. In fact, I would probably say, you know, 0:05:01.390 --> 0:05:05.529 it may have happened. It may not. The Radiothon sort 0:05:05.550 --> 0:05:11.510 of has linkages back to that because the people at 0:05:11.670 --> 0:05:14.969 iHeart came into the office one Saturday morning, and Bill 0:05:15.010 --> 0:05:19.510 was doing a show, and said, how can we help? 0:05:20.650 --> 0:05:27.030 And that really started the genesis of the Radiothon talk, 0:05:27.550 --> 0:05:31.270 in the sense that, could we do something like this? 0:05:31.690 --> 0:05:34.270 Because at that time, the Fisher House was doing the 0:05:34.310 --> 0:05:39.710 Radiothon with iHeart, and we had subsequent conversations, and If 0:05:39.750 --> 0:05:41.150 it wasn't for your dad, I mean, it. 0:05:41.990 --> 0:05:45.180 He loved you guys. He really did. I think he 0:05:45.210 --> 0:05:47.190 felt some sort of... He was a veteran himself, too. 0:05:47.800 --> 0:05:49.360 I think that was part of it as well. But 0:05:49.760 --> 0:05:52.420 he really had a special connection to the DAV. 0:05:52.860 --> 0:05:56.800 And what you're doing now in carrying on that tradition of... 0:05:57.339 --> 0:06:02.060 What that meant to him, you can see it with 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:07.359 you and Kelly, Mary Madeline. What goes on is amazing. 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:12.060 So the tradition... cannot be, we can't say thank you enough. 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:13.020 Of course. 0:06:13.200 --> 0:06:13.560 Yeah. 0:06:13.620 --> 0:06:16.680 No, I really, honestly, William, I, I can't thank you enough. 0:06:16.779 --> 0:06:18.260 And I want to shake your hand, my friend. 0:06:18.460 --> 0:06:19.930 Thank you. God bless you. 0:06:19.990 --> 0:06:21.530 And I want to say one last thing. I don't 0:06:21.550 --> 0:06:22.109 mean to cut you off. 0:06:22.130 --> 0:06:22.310 Yeah. 0:06:22.330 --> 0:06:24.110 Very quick. Cause you only got 40 seconds. Of course. 0:06:24.130 --> 0:06:26.370 So in addition to the sponsorship, Kelly financial would like 0:06:26.410 --> 0:06:27.490 to give an additional $ 5, 000. 0:06:27.250 --> 0:06:34.800 Yes, sir. Yeah. You saved the best for last. Are 0:06:34.820 --> 0:06:35.600 you kidding me? 0:06:35.620 --> 0:06:39.160 I was thinking, okay, yeah, we got to go. 5,000. 0:06:41.339 --> 0:06:43.960 Thank you, William Kelly. Thank you so much. 0:06:44.020 --> 0:06:47.239 I want to thank Kelly Financial, your mom, Kelly Kelly, 0:06:47.300 --> 0:06:53.510 Mary Madeline. Okay, this hour of the WRKO DAV Department 0:06:53.550 --> 0:06:59.530 of Massachusetts Radiothon is brought to you by Kelly Financial Services. 0:07:00.089 --> 0:07:13.860 If you want to donate, call 978-632-1985. or visit DAV5K. Boston, DAV5K. Boston. Okay, 0:07:13.950 --> 0:07:19.760 we still have that private, incredible Paul Wahlberg dinner for eight. 0:07:20.300 --> 0:07:27.380 The bidding now is at, believe it or not, $ 8, 000. 0:07:26.060 --> 0:07:29.840 It is worth every single penny, trust me. Let's see, 0:07:29.900 --> 0:07:33.260 do I have 9,000? Can we take it to 9,000? 0:07:35.260 --> 0:07:38.340 It's going to be a dinner for eight. We're talking 0:07:38.420 --> 0:07:42.790 a multi-course feast. Some of the best wine you'll ever have. 0:07:43.350 --> 0:07:48.210 It'll be at Paul Wahlberg's restaurant, Alma Nove in Hingham. 0:07:49.130 --> 0:07:51.580 He's a world-renowned chef and his team, of course, will 0:07:51.620 --> 0:07:55.300 be there. You are going to have a dining experience 0:07:55.520 --> 0:07:58.700 of your life. And you'll be doing it all for 0:07:58.720 --> 0:08:01.660 an incredible cause. So if you want to bid, it's 0:08:01.720 --> 0:08:02.600 right now at $ 8, 000, even $ 8, 500. 0:08:02.460 --> 0:08:04.220 Let's go to $ 8, 000. If $ 9, 000, let's go $ 8, 500. If 0:08:04.220 --> 0:08:05.140 $ 9, 000 is too high, $ 8, 500. Do I have $ 8, 500? 0:08:05.020 --> 0:08:05.100 978-632-1985. 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:05.180 978-632-1985. 0:08:05.280 --> 0:08:06.090 Okay, in studio with me now. 0:08:25.550 --> 0:08:30.250 Is Coleman Nee. He is the past national commander for 0:08:30.270 --> 0:08:37.580 the DAV Marine Corps Reserves from 1986 to 1994. He 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:44.760 was six months in Desert Storm. A proud veteran. Welcome, Coleman. 0:08:44.980 --> 0:08:46.200 How are you? 0:08:46.620 --> 0:08:49.100 I'm doing great. Thank you, Jeff. Thank you for having 0:08:49.140 --> 0:08:52.020 us here today. Thank you to you, RKO, iHeart, for 0:08:52.420 --> 0:08:55.340 all your support. This It means a lot, and the 0:08:55.360 --> 0:08:56.880 money is going to go to a really good place. 0:08:56.940 --> 0:08:59.380 I can assure you of that. Coleman, it's me who 0:08:59.420 --> 0:09:02.120 thanks you. And I want to thank you and your 0:09:02.160 --> 0:09:07.760 wonderful service, your patriotism, your self-sacrifice, your dedication to our country. 0:09:08.780 --> 0:09:12.870 I'm behind this microphone, honestly, because of people like you. 0:09:13.400 --> 0:09:15.709 So I cannot thank you enough, and our country can't 0:09:15.750 --> 0:09:20.770 thank you enough. Coleman, I want to ask you. you 0:09:21.090 --> 0:09:26.580 experienced what's called survivor guilt. For the audience out there, 0:09:26.630 --> 0:09:29.580 and I know this is an issue with many veterans 0:09:29.620 --> 0:09:34.479 who come back from combat, what happened and why did 0:09:34.540 --> 0:09:41.010 you experience survivor guilt? Yeah, it is a really complex 0:09:41.410 --> 0:09:43.450 sort of thing to have to deal with, particularly when 0:09:43.490 --> 0:09:45.970 you're that young, right? I mean, when I was deployed, 0:09:46.010 --> 0:09:50.100 I think I was like 22 years old. Um, you know, 0:09:50.140 --> 0:09:52.689 we were running, I was a motor transport motor vehicle 0:09:52.770 --> 0:09:55.470 operator and we ran convoys to frontline troops to get 0:09:55.490 --> 0:09:59.750 them supplies and fresh troops, food, ammunition, things that they 0:09:59.770 --> 0:10:01.319 would need. need in order to be able to carry 0:10:01.380 --> 0:10:04.180 on the fight. And we were running missions every day, 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:11.349 long missions, getting the stuff to– finding people in desert 0:10:11.390 --> 0:10:15.090 environments and bringing them back. And there were a couple 0:10:15.110 --> 0:10:16.689 of us that were doing that. One of the other 0:10:16.750 --> 0:10:21.910 drivers was– one of my, not just another driver, not 0:10:21.950 --> 0:10:23.809 just a fellow Marine, but one of my best friends 0:10:23.890 --> 0:10:27.390 over there. And, you know, we, we got pulled for 0:10:27.429 --> 0:10:29.320 a mission and it was both of us were going out. 0:10:29.340 --> 0:10:30.960 We were going to do a convoy run up to 0:10:31.000 --> 0:10:34.900 this particular area. And at the last minute, literally, and 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:36.780 I'm saying at the last minute at the gate, when 0:10:36.820 --> 0:10:40.300 we were driving out an officer who was worked over 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:42.450 us that, you know, knee, why don't you stay back? 0:10:43.210 --> 0:10:46.809 And we don't need you for something else. And, you know, 0:10:47.070 --> 0:10:50.670 do not to, you know, uh, you know, bury the 0:10:50.710 --> 0:10:53.370 lead here, but, um, you know, the, the, the two 0:10:53.550 --> 0:10:56.150 Marines that did go out there, uh, including my friend, 0:10:56.190 --> 0:11:01.270 Lance Corporal Kip Perimba, um, they didn't, they got killed. And, uh, 0:11:01.390 --> 0:11:05.780 you know, when they came back, um, uh, you know, 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:09.330 we got the news, you know, it's a range of, 0:11:09.679 --> 0:11:11.699 you know, you're, you're in the middle of things, you're, you're, 0:11:12.000 --> 0:11:14.920 you know, there's no time to really grieve. It's, it's, 0:11:15.059 --> 0:11:17.890 you know, you do a, you do a quick ceremony and, 0:11:18.230 --> 0:11:19.729 you know, we honor them. And then you're kind of 0:11:19.750 --> 0:11:22.130 right back into your job again. And it's like, you know, we'll, 0:11:22.190 --> 0:11:23.990 we'll save that for when you get home, you know, 0:11:24.010 --> 0:11:27.130 we got a job to do here. And, and, and 0:11:27.150 --> 0:11:30.319 I just kind of fell into that rut. And, but 0:11:30.380 --> 0:11:33.860 something always beyond the grief of losing a friend, something 0:11:33.900 --> 0:11:35.980 always really bothered me about it. And I, and when 0:11:36.020 --> 0:11:38.380 I came home, it, it, it affected me. It was 0:11:38.500 --> 0:11:40.179 things that I was thinking about every day. It was 0:11:40.240 --> 0:11:42.680 something that I was kind of constantly in my head, 0:11:43.420 --> 0:11:45.730 maybe not top of mind, but definitely in the background that, 0:11:46.580 --> 0:11:49.600 And it really– it had a profound impact on me 0:11:49.620 --> 0:11:51.010 to the point where I was like I have to– 0:11:51.030 --> 0:11:52.950 I have to go talk to someone. And I really 0:11:52.970 --> 0:11:56.670 don't know why I'm feeling this way. And I did– 0:11:56.790 --> 0:12:00.339 I got connected with DAV. I got connected with the VA. 0:12:00.360 --> 0:12:03.840 I went down and saw some fellow vets at the 0:12:03.860 --> 0:12:07.200 vet centers who do counseling work down there. And in 0:12:07.220 --> 0:12:09.840 the process of– I think it was the first conversation 0:12:09.900 --> 0:12:12.410 I had with them. where I sat down and, you know, 0:12:12.429 --> 0:12:14.010 like everybody in my generation, right. 0:12:14.030 --> 0:12:14.290 All right. 0:12:14.340 --> 0:12:16.670 What, you know, I'm not going to talk about my mother. 0:12:16.740 --> 0:12:18.600 I'm not going to talk about, you know, not going 0:12:18.620 --> 0:12:20.760 to lay on your couch. You know, what, what do 0:12:20.780 --> 0:12:22.540 you got for me here? And it was just someone 0:12:22.559 --> 0:12:25.920 who kind of took a soft approach and said, well, 0:12:25.940 --> 0:12:27.760 just tell me your story. I'm a veteran. I'll tell 0:12:27.800 --> 0:12:29.500 you what happened to me and we'll have a conversation 0:12:29.520 --> 0:12:31.660 and we'll talk. And by the end of it, honestly, 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:40.360 I had broken down. I was crying, screaming, never really, 0:12:41.370 --> 0:12:44.230 got it to the perspective where I was feeling guilty 0:12:44.270 --> 0:12:47.829 about the fact that I had survived and somebody else 0:12:47.870 --> 0:12:49.630 who I cared about was gone. And then you run 0:12:49.670 --> 0:12:51.750 through the, you know, they call it, the VA will 0:12:51.770 --> 0:12:55.460 call it rehashing and rehearsing, right? You rehash the, the, the, 0:12:55.580 --> 0:12:57.239 the past. What if I had did this? What if 0:12:57.260 --> 0:12:58.920 I had stayed in that truck? Would I have seen this? 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:00.540 Would I have been able to do that? Would someone 0:13:00.580 --> 0:13:02.920 be alive? You know, and then you rehearse going for, 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:04.940 you know, well, I'm going to do this and I'm 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:06.100 going to do that. And I'm going to put this 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:07.739 out of my head and I'm going to handle it 0:13:07.780 --> 0:13:11.020 like this. And all of that stuff, You know, it's 0:13:11.059 --> 0:13:13.980 just kind of we put it on ourselves in terms 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:15.830 of self-therapy about how we're going to deal with it. 0:13:16.300 --> 0:13:18.140 We don't realize that, you know, there are other vets 0:13:18.210 --> 0:13:20.970 out there that we can talk to, have professional degrees, 0:13:21.020 --> 0:13:24.010 have services, and they can help you get through that 0:13:24.290 --> 0:13:26.710 clutter and see what it is that's actually bothering you. 0:13:26.750 --> 0:13:29.090 And then once you realize what's bothering you, they can 0:13:29.130 --> 0:13:32.670 walk you rationally through why it's really not rational to 0:13:32.690 --> 0:13:37.570 think the way you're thinking. It's natural thinking. And certainly 0:13:37.610 --> 0:13:38.850 you deal with it and you're going to deal with 0:13:38.890 --> 0:13:40.370 it for the rest of your life. But let's give 0:13:40.410 --> 0:13:43.370 you some perspective as to how you can put this 0:13:43.410 --> 0:13:44.989 in a way that, you know, you can get up 0:13:45.070 --> 0:13:47.230 every day and feel, you know, all right, I can 0:13:47.270 --> 0:13:49.330 meet the day to day. This is going to work. And, 0:13:49.500 --> 0:13:52.980 you know, I just got to honor that sacrifice, not 0:13:53.020 --> 0:13:58.580 by internalizing it and being, you know, being angry by 0:13:58.640 --> 0:14:01.679 it or being filled with anxiety. The best way to 0:14:01.700 --> 0:14:04.040 honor that sacrifice is to get out there and help 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:06.210 other veterans and do what my friend would have done. 0:14:07.210 --> 0:14:07.930 And live your life. 0:14:08.290 --> 0:14:09.050 Yeah. Yeah. 0:14:09.490 --> 0:14:11.370 I mean, I'm sure your best buddy and your friends 0:14:11.410 --> 0:14:13.929 would say, you know, Coleman, we want you to live 0:14:13.950 --> 0:14:14.310 your life. 0:14:15.570 --> 0:14:18.620 Yeah. I, you know, I know they would. And that's the, 0:14:18.750 --> 0:14:20.840 that's the rational part of it, right? Is that when 0:14:20.860 --> 0:14:23.440 you start going through how they would feel and how 0:14:23.500 --> 0:14:27.120 you would feel if it happened to you, um, you know, 0:14:27.140 --> 0:14:29.700 you can see that rationally, but when you're, when it's 0:14:29.720 --> 0:14:31.660 so in your head and you get all this, this 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:37.080 grief and anger and, and, And pain and kind of anxiety. 0:14:37.100 --> 0:14:37.920 Well, it eats you up. 0:14:38.180 --> 0:14:38.460 It is. 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:40.420 And, you know, you try and process things. But if 0:14:40.440 --> 0:14:43.000 you try and process it through that kind of dynamic, 0:14:43.860 --> 0:14:45.840 what the output that comes out isn't rational. 0:14:46.340 --> 0:14:51.120 It's something else. Coleman, we've only got about a minute left. 0:14:51.420 --> 0:14:55.180 Just very quickly, how big of a role do you 0:14:55.200 --> 0:15:00.430 think survivor guilt plays, say, in the epidemic of suicides 0:15:00.650 --> 0:15:01.310 among veterans? 0:15:02.470 --> 0:15:04.230 Does it play a big role? It plays a huge role. 0:15:04.780 --> 0:15:06.360 It plays a huge role. And a lot of people, 0:15:06.620 --> 0:15:09.840 you know, there's so many missions, especially for the infantry, 0:15:09.900 --> 0:15:11.560 for the trigger pullers, for the people that are out 0:15:11.580 --> 0:15:13.950 there on the front lines. You know, there's so many 0:15:14.020 --> 0:15:17.330 quick decisions we're asking young people, 19, 20, 21, 22, 0:15:17.330 --> 0:15:20.210 to make in the heat of a moment where, you know, 0:15:20.690 --> 0:15:22.910 they make the best decision, but then something happens to 0:15:22.950 --> 0:15:28.070 someone in their platoon or their squad or their team. 0:15:28.270 --> 0:15:30.340 And they carry that with them. And they carry that 0:15:30.380 --> 0:15:32.220 with them. And it's hard to see how it's not 0:15:32.260 --> 0:15:34.780 your fault. But it's not. but it's hard to see 0:15:34.820 --> 0:15:37.400 how it's not your fault. And that weighs on them. 0:15:37.420 --> 0:15:38.960 It weighs on them like an anchor. And if they 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:40.800 don't get the help and they don't get the services 0:15:41.140 --> 0:15:42.780 and they don't get to be able to talk to someone, 0:15:43.320 --> 0:15:46.400 that will ultimately end up putting them in a position 0:15:46.460 --> 0:15:49.160 where they just feel like, I can't deal with this 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:54.040 pain anymore. I have to make it end. And it's 0:15:54.070 --> 0:15:57.830 a really, again, it's processing things through an irrational matrix 0:15:58.250 --> 0:16:00.010 and coming out with a decision when if you can 0:16:00.050 --> 0:16:02.670 just get some help and get some perspective, you can 0:16:02.710 --> 0:16:05.770 begin to see why It doesn't have to be that decision. 0:16:06.030 --> 0:16:07.940 And that there's many other decisions that you can take 0:16:07.980 --> 0:16:09.820 that will put you on a pathway to a better 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:11.440 life where you can see hope and you can start 0:16:11.480 --> 0:16:13.020 being happy again. 0:16:13.380 --> 0:16:13.800 Amen. 0:16:13.820 --> 0:16:17.920 Amen. Coleman, I want to thank you again for your service. 0:16:18.210 --> 0:16:23.510 And I'm so happy that, you know, you've recovered and 0:16:23.590 --> 0:16:27.810 you've overcome your survivor guilt and everything you've done for 0:16:27.870 --> 0:16:30.820 our country. Truly, I can't thank you enough. And to 0:16:31.020 --> 0:16:37.200 the Kooner country, people listening, The DAV saves lives. People 0:16:37.240 --> 0:16:40.000 like Coleman, if it wasn't for the DAV, God knows, 0:16:40.680 --> 0:16:44.150 maybe he wouldn't even be here with us today. So again, 0:16:44.370 --> 0:16:48.850 please give. It's not the amount, it's the thought. Okay, 0:16:48.950 --> 0:16:55.270 welcome back to the WRKO DAV Department of Massachusetts Radiothon, 0:16:55.870 --> 0:17:00.500 brought to you by Kelly Financial Services. If you want 0:17:00.510 --> 0:17:03.200 to donate, please call 978-632-1985, 978-632-1985, or visit DAV5K. 0:17:02.860 --> 0:17:03.440 Boston, DAV5K. 0:17:03.220 --> 0:17:21.600 Boston. Okay, joining me now on the phone. And I 0:17:21.700 --> 0:17:27.200 love this last name. What a last name. Adam Greathouse. Literally, 0:17:27.340 --> 0:17:29.119 great house. Like a house that's great. 0:17:31.080 --> 0:17:31.419 U.S. 0:17:31.580 --> 0:17:34.740 Army, Corporal, forgive me. Corporal, U.S. 0:17:34.869 --> 0:17:35.159 Army. 0:17:35.690 --> 0:17:42.689 Served from 1999 to 2001. K-4 mission with the United Nations. Adam, 0:17:42.869 --> 0:17:45.649 it's my distinct honor and pleasure to have you on 0:17:45.690 --> 0:17:46.650 the Kuna Report. 0:17:47.150 --> 0:17:50.090 How are you? Hello, Mr. 0:17:50.109 --> 0:17:52.169 Cooter. I truly appreciate you having me on here today. 0:17:52.190 --> 0:17:55.739 Please don't call me Jeff. I'm not that important. But 0:17:55.760 --> 0:17:59.899 believe me, I'm not that important. Adam, first of all, 0:17:59.920 --> 0:18:02.260 I get very emotional when I hear some of the 0:18:02.280 --> 0:18:06.220 stories from these wonderful veterans like you. And so just 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:08.060 in case I forget, I want you to know I 0:18:08.100 --> 0:18:10.940 want to thank you for your service and everything you've 0:18:10.980 --> 0:18:14.659 done for our country. And Adam, I know you had 0:18:14.680 --> 0:18:17.240 a very difficult time, and I'm very happy you have 0:18:17.270 --> 0:18:20.980 the courage to and the bravery, because it's not easy 0:18:21.500 --> 0:18:26.109 to tell your story. Apparently the DAV saved your life. 0:18:27.010 --> 0:18:32.770 You went from having served our country to potential suicide 0:18:32.790 --> 0:18:37.030 to being saved. For the audience out there listening, could 0:18:37.050 --> 0:18:37.869 you please tell. 0:18:37.770 --> 0:18:38.290 Us your story? 0:18:40.010 --> 0:18:45.330 Yes, Jeff, yes. And thank you for that. Yeah, I've 0:18:45.390 --> 0:18:49.610 served in the United States Army. I was at Fort Stewart, Georgia, 0:18:50.030 --> 0:18:54.369 where I was in communications with 3rd Infantry Division. And 0:18:54.430 --> 0:18:57.710 then one day we came down on orders to be deployed. 0:18:58.540 --> 0:19:01.900 And this was in early 2001 when I was deployed 0:19:01.980 --> 0:19:08.500 to Kosovo. So we ended up going on a United 0:19:08.540 --> 0:19:13.270 Nations peacekeeping mission. And while we were over there, Being 0:19:13.310 --> 0:19:19.750 a communication, you know, I went on numerous missions and 0:19:20.830 --> 0:19:25.070 absolutely loved the United States Army. I was, you know, 0:19:25.090 --> 0:19:29.330 definitely a lifer. And I just felt like I was 0:19:29.390 --> 0:19:33.989 made for it. It was just kind of destiny. But unfortunately, 0:19:34.010 --> 0:19:36.940 on my last mission, which I didn't know that would be, 0:19:36.960 --> 0:19:43.440 I came back and we ended up at Camp Bondsteel. And, 0:19:43.900 --> 0:19:48.410 you know, I was 215 pounds and pretty much almost 0:19:48.490 --> 0:19:53.270 maxed my PT test. But that morning, after I got 0:19:53.310 --> 0:19:57.429 back off that mission, it was around 25, 35-day mission, 0:19:58.940 --> 0:20:03.260 I was having issues of breathing, I felt. I kind 0:20:03.340 --> 0:20:05.340 of feel like you were just congested from the cold. 0:20:06.900 --> 0:20:10.290 So I ended up running. I couldn't keep up with anybody. 0:20:10.310 --> 0:20:13.360 I usually ran an alpha group. I noticed that was 0:20:13.380 --> 0:20:16.400 kind of a flag. But again, you know, when you're 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:19.480 in the military, you're 10 foot tall, bulletproof. So there's 0:20:19.520 --> 0:20:22.480 no complaining. There's no anything. We ended up going back 0:20:22.540 --> 0:20:25.740 to the barracks, you know, changing out real quick to 0:20:25.800 --> 0:20:30.030 our fatigues. Went out to the motor pool. And then 0:20:31.090 --> 0:20:33.470 from there, they released me for the rest of the 0:20:33.490 --> 0:20:36.620 day since I was on this somewhat long mission. And 0:20:36.960 --> 0:20:38.480 when I got back to the barracks, I just laid 0:20:38.520 --> 0:20:42.159 down and I'd say I was out for maybe 30 0:20:42.160 --> 0:20:43.960 minutes or so. And I tried to get up and 0:20:43.980 --> 0:20:46.760 get out of bed, but I couldn't get out of bed. 0:20:47.320 --> 0:20:51.320 And again, I really didn't need help in the shape 0:20:51.340 --> 0:20:54.580 I was in to get out of bed. So I 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:57.080 had some help and they took me to the mash tent. 0:20:58.040 --> 0:20:59.869 I got to the mash tent. And from that point on, 0:21:00.780 --> 0:21:03.270 The next morning, I remember them saying they couldn't keep 0:21:03.290 --> 0:21:05.990 me stable, and they moved me out, and they flew 0:21:06.010 --> 0:21:10.429 me from Camp Bonstiel in Kosovo to Landstuhl, Germany. And 0:21:10.490 --> 0:21:13.629 it's all kind of like just a kind of a blur. 0:21:13.690 --> 0:21:17.390 I remember it like it was yesterday, though. We landed, 0:21:18.960 --> 0:21:21.600 and after we landed, they got me into Landstuhl, and 0:21:21.619 --> 0:21:27.650 then from Landstuhl is when— Pretty much my life kind 0:21:27.690 --> 0:21:32.330 of changed because I was put into an induced coma. Again, 0:21:32.350 --> 0:21:36.800 I was 215 pounds at that moment. I woke up 0:21:37.400 --> 0:21:41.980 two months later in Longstool, Germany, a military facility, a 0:21:42.030 --> 0:21:45.310 base hospital over there in Germany. And when I woke 0:21:45.390 --> 0:21:49.330 up there, I woke up, I went to Lahnstuhl, Germany, 0:21:49.430 --> 0:21:51.730 and that's where they put me into an induced coma. 0:21:51.770 --> 0:21:55.720 From that point, a few weeks later, they transported me out. 0:21:56.980 --> 0:21:59.400 They sent my mom a letter from a Red Cross 0:21:59.440 --> 0:22:02.359 letter stating, you know, I had 24 hours to live, 0:22:04.260 --> 0:22:07.379 imminent death, and then flag follows. So my mother received 0:22:07.400 --> 0:22:11.480 a flag while I was in the coma. So while 0:22:11.600 --> 0:22:13.550 I was in the coma, two months later, I woke up, 0:22:13.560 --> 0:22:16.220 but I was ended up in a German university hospital 0:22:16.260 --> 0:22:21.669 called Aachen, Germany university hospital. So there, when I woke up, 0:22:21.730 --> 0:22:29.640 I was around 110, 112 pounds, 110 pounds. Adam, what happened? Um, well, 0:22:29.680 --> 0:22:32.020 when I was on one of the missions, apparently pretty 0:22:32.060 --> 0:22:35.530 much my last mission there in Kosovo, um, I was 0:22:35.609 --> 0:22:40.389 exposed to a chemical, um, and when I'm assuming it's 0:22:40.430 --> 0:22:45.229 a spore somehow, uh, which when I held this, it 0:22:45.530 --> 0:22:48.770 burnt my bronchioles and it ate holes in my left 0:22:48.850 --> 0:22:51.730 lung and was trying to eat holes in my right lung, 0:22:51.790 --> 0:22:55.520 I'm assuming from what they're telling me, uh, medical wise. And, uh, 0:22:55.619 --> 0:23:00.699 so when I went down, um, And during that time period, 0:23:00.720 --> 0:23:04.619 I quit breathing so long that I didn't take a blast, 0:23:04.660 --> 0:23:09.960