Nova Scotia Afghanistan veteran--died broken

Former soldier who died with woman in N.S. was 'broken' from PTSD: friend
The Canadian Press
by Michael Tutton
March 23, 2018

SPRINGHILL, N.S. — A former Canadian soldier returned from multiple tours in Afghanistan psychologically “broken” and struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder, friends and family said Friday after his body was found with the remains of a woman who had been living with him in a rural Nova Scotia home.

Marc J. Poulin is shown in a handout photo provided by his friend Jason Hill. A close friend of Poulin, a former soldier who died along with a woman living with him in rural Nova Scotia says he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder after coming back from Afghanistan "broken."
THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Jason Hill

“...your demons were so loud that you couldn’t hear how much everyone was trying to help you and be there for you. I’m so sorry that you let them take over.” Kyle Taylor

Jason Hill of North Bay, Ont., said he grew up with Marc J. Poulin and that his childhood friend and former neighbour had told him after returning from three infantry tours in Afghanistan that he was traumatized by deaths and violence he witnessed overseas, which returned to him in nightmares.

Hill said the other person who died, Jennifer Lynne Semenec, was also from North Bay and had been living with Poulin for a relatively short period of time. He said they had moved to the Nova Scotia town together.

The RCMP said the bodies of the 42-year-old man and 45-year-old woman were recovered from the small house on a dead end street in Springhill following a “suspicious fire” at the residence Tuesday. Police have not released the causes of death, but say they are not looking for any suspects.

Hill said before Poulin served overseas he was constantly smiling and friendly, but by 2010 after his last tour of duty in Kandahar, Afghanistan, he was withdrawn and posted on social media about his trauma.

“He was openly sharing his struggles dealing with PTSD on Facebook and how the system wasn’t open to him,” recalled Hill, 42.

“We knew he came back broken.”
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