Veterans lives saved by boxing club?

'They Saved My Life,' Boxing Club Provides a Healing Outlet for Veterans

The Associated Press
By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Diana Nelson Jones
7 Jul 2019

Boxing isn't for every veteran who needs an outlet, but for those it does help, it is a testament to the power of physical activity in improving mental health

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Brandy Horchak-Jevsjukova, left, helps Tysh Wagner with stretches after a workout at Warrior's Call Boxing in Baden on Monday, June 10, 2019. Wagner served two tours of duty as a medic in Afghanistan and says the boxing workout helps her heal from the trauma of her war experiences. Horchak-Jevsjukova, co-owner of Warrior's Call, served in Iraq. (Steve Mellon/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP)

BADEN, Pa. (AP) — Brandy Horchak-Jevsjukova jokes that she is Tyshie Wagner's service dog.

A veteran's service dog is trained to lean into her to provide comfort, to stand watch behind her, to jump up or paw her to interrupt a crisis.

Brandy has leaned into Tyshie persistently since they met in 2017, when Tyshie was almost 400 pounds, terrified of leaving her house, and imagining — and once attempting — suicide. She had gone through several therapists and had a husband who was at his wits' end.

Cutting through the chronology of their story, we arrive at the Warrior's Call Boxing Club in Baden, Beaver County, one recent morning.

Brandy and her husband, Vitali Jevsjukova, whom everyone calls "V," opened the club in 2015 to be the help to veterans that boxing had been for them during their military service in Iraq.
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Sammy "Sergeant" Vasquez Battles To Win

Gorman: 'Sergeant' Sammy hopes title is next
TribLive
Kevin Gorman
July 15, 2016

Vasquez entered the ring via a Humvee and wearing camouflage trunks, so adopting The Sergeant nickname made sense for him. He's an outspoken advocate for veterans, and he doesn't shy from speaking about his battles with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sammy Vasquez (left) throws a punch at Aron Martinez during their

welterweight bout Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016, in Los Angeles.

PHOTO BY AP

In a tribute to his two tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army, boxer Sammy Vasquez Jr. changed his nickname from The Who Can Mexican to The Sergeant.

The 30-year-old welterweight from Monessen believes he is on the cusp of a title that carries even more clout: How does “world champion” sound?

Vasquez embraces the idea of becoming Western Pennsylvania's next world boxing champ.

His immediate predecessors are two of his heroes. Former heavyweight champion Michael Moorer is from Vasquez's hometown of Monessen, and former lightweight champ Paul Spadafora represented Pittsburgh out of McKees Rocks.

“When I think of Michael Moorer or Paul Spadafora or even Billy Conn, I still am like, to me, he's a great,” Vasquez, 30, said. “To put myself in that category, it's weird for me. I'm still a huge fan. To put my name up there with those guys is an awesome feeling.”
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Iraq Veteran Sammy Vasquez "Undefeated" With PTSD

Vasquez's victory keeps the Pennsylvania product unbeaten after he served two stints in Iraq for the Army and returned with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Boxing has helped Army veteran Sammy Vasquez work through PTSD
LA Times
Lance Pugmire January 21, 2016

"You can't prepare yourself for what you think war is. You see someone you're there with every day, talk about getting home … and then one of them ends up dead. That jacks your brain up … you get a lot of anger, aggression." Sammy Vasquez

Sammy Vasquez is unbeaten in 20 fights, winning 14 of them by knockout.

Undefeated welterweight Sammy Vasquez (20-0, 14 knockouts) and his Saturday night co-main event opponent Aron Martinez of Los Angeles are linked by their desire to win a boxing title one day.

But Vasquez's cause is something more.

"Mine is for America," Vasquez said.

Not only does the Pennsylvania fighter want to discuss his upcoming Fox-televised fight at Staples Center, he feels compelled to open the conversation with a discussion of military service.

Vasquez was 17 when he committed to the idea of joining the Army after being shaken by 9/11 as a younger boy.

He served two duties in Iraq, a 2005-06 stint in which he served on quick-reaction and security teams, and a 2008-09 assignment in which he worked alongside and helped train members of the Iraqi military and police.
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