Wife of PTSD Veteran Seeking Help for Christmas

There are plenty of stories out there on veterans with PTSD. Stories about suicides, police standoffs and veterans courts. There are stories about homeless veterans doing heroic and inspiring things. There are not many about any of their families.

There is an appeal on the Honolulu Star Advertiser from a Mom looking for help to make Christmas a bit brighter for her children. 

Her husband is an Army veteran with PTSD and is living in a shelter right now. The impulse may be to judge her but having been through the worst times in my own marriage, all too often, this does happen. We've been married for over 3 decades, so nothing is impossible but it takes more than love to do it.

It requires knowledge and support.

Veterans fall when help is not there for the families. They are left with trying to do the best they can with what they know.

Before it gets better for any of us, we have to learn all we can about PTSD and then figure out how we can make it better, or end up making it worse for those we love.

So don't judge this Mom, but maybe we should start judging ourselves. 

If veterans are ending up homeless, there are reasons for it. If they are committing suicide, there are reasons for it. Until we actually stop the stunts and repeating slogans, more and more families will be struggling to just get from one day to the next.

Mom of 2 forges on after split with Army vet

Star Advertiser

By Nancy Arcayna 

Special to the Star-Advertiser

December 10, 2017

Sasha Pinheiro had to take on the role of a single parent after her separation from her children’s father, an Army veteran who has been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.

COURTESY SASHA PINHEIRO

Sasha Pinheiro and her children, A’ziah, 1, and Shaizen, 5.

“I am raising both kids on my own because their father is dealing with these medical issues and living in a shelter,” she said. “I want him to be a parent in their lives, but things are not stable right now.”

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