Life Falls into Place for Larry after Seeking Help

Life didn’t quite turn out the way Larry Smith expected when he returned stateside from Iraq. He noticed numerous odd problems. When he took his daughter to Disneyland, which was arranged through a veteran’s support group, he became dizzy and disoriented on the roller coaster ride. Once back in his home state of Colorado, he experienced problems with his memory and balance, along with many other challenges.

The problems all stemmed from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) he had suffered while serving in Iraq. “We ran over a bomb,” he explained. “The blast sent our Humvee airborne, and my head was knocked into the ceiling; then I lost consciousness. Like most soldiers, I tried to downplay my injuries at first. I received a purple heart after that injury.” Larry saw several of his buddies also try to “tough it out” when facing very difficult medical problems.

When Larry came home, the Wounded Warrior Project connected him to Denver Options’ Operation TBI Freedom (OTF) program. OTF Care Coordinator Donya Blair immediately went to work to assess his needs. “The memory and processing problems Larry was experiencing are typical symptoms of TBI,” Donya stated. “Larry was in crisis. He did not have a stable place to live, and he had not applied for benefits yet.”

Blair found low-cost housing through a group in Colorado Springs that focuses on veterans. Then she began working with Larry to get his benefits in place, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and VA benefits. She helped him determine what benefits he qualified for and organize all the information he needed to fill out the applications. Now that he has received everything he earned through his service, he can think about his future.

“I know a lot of guys who come back and don’t try to get help. I think my daughter was the reason I wanted to get my life in order,” Larry said. “I share equal custody with my ex-wife. Brianna is two, and she gives my life purpose.” He enjoys watching his daughter grow and change. She loves to play with balls and toss water balloons, and he says she’ll climb anything she can reach.

Larry is planning to enroll in a free “Love and Logic” parenting class being offered through Operation TBI Freedom to improve his parenting skills. OTF provided cognitive therapy sessions through Learning RX to help him increase his memory, attention span, sensory processing and reasoning skills. OTF also helped him receive support through the Colorado TBI Trust Fund. Larry hopes to explore education options and eventually find a job.

“I am doing much better now,” Larry said with a smile. “I know I still have some things to work out, but now I can take care of my daughter. That’s my biggest priority. I’m luckier than most. My mom lives here, and I have high school friends close by. I’d encourage any veteran who is struggling out there to seek help. Once I did that, everything I needed fell into place.”

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Learn more about how Operation TBI Freedom helps veterans like Larry.