My Battle with Life

Hello my name is Jackson, I am a firefighter / EMT, I recently was diagnosed with PTSD. Let me tell you from the start.

In 2009 I started in the fire service as a junior firefighter, In 2011, I was in 10th grade going to to high school. Everyday the same and then one day it changed. My parents told me they were sick of my current school and sending me off to military boarding school. I was pumped and nervous. I always saw myself in the Military but Hell I was 15. 1/15/12 I was no longer a boy, I was a scrub and scrubs are lower than whale shit. Next came 28 days of hell, I have always been a heavy guy. I lost 30lbs that month. NO cellphones, AC, WIFI. The only outside contact came through the snail mail “usps”. The first year went by slow, by the end of the year I had picked up some rank E-3. I came back my junior year with school, I became an E-7. The start of my senior year I was looking at going to the marines like my grandfather, by the end of my senior year I had a full ride Military Scholarship to Marion Military Institute in the ECP “Early Commissioning Program”. That’s when I found Alcohol, Within 6 months I dropped out. I got stuck in a whole at 18 years old drinking everyday.

Thats when my USMC retired Capt. Grandfather, Told me to get my shit together and move out on life. That night I shot myself with my 40.Cal, by the grace of God I survived. I had a new look on life.

EMT school is 4 months long start to finish. It took me 2 years and five tries later. I got my NREMT card. Fire school came next and i’m still working on it, should have it done by January 2021. I have been dating this girl i’m going to marry on March 31st 2020.

By chance, I have found yall’s group through my CO- worker after he attended your Patriot Tour inn b’ham Alabama.

I would like to say thank you to the crew and their wives. first for your service to this country, may it never forget. To the wives thank you for letting them help others continue to be strong.

I recently hit my lowest low with PTSD and your facebook add came up never quit buy our merch. I plugged up the podcast of the FDNY LT. Who survived 9/11. it saved me, I listened to every podcast y’all ever did the next 2 days. I wanted to call and thank you all for keeping me alive.

On 1/26/19 I quit ALCOHOL, NICOTINE, and I got a gym membership.

Marcus, I bought Lone Survivor many years ago, way before the movie. I would love to have you email me.

Author: jackson