Serving Others is the Key to Life
Jimmy Sullivan served in the United States Army from 2007 until 2014. He spent time in Afghanistan and Korea, earned several medals and was honorably discharged. A single Dad with full custody of his 3 kids, Jimmy moved back home to Newark, Ohio with plans to become a police officer. At the age of 25 he was diagnosed with a heart condition, which required him to drop out of the Police Academy. In the year that followed, he endured two surgeries, was out of work three times, and was taking 6 different medications.
His poor physical health also affected his mental health, his finances and his housing stability. In June of 2015, he contacted the Licking County Veterans Service Commission, who put him in touch with LCCH and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program. SSVF paid his rental and utility deposits as well as 4 months rent, but Jimmy was still struggling with his mental health. He sought help from the VA hospital in Chillicothe and was actually placed on a 3-day hold because they feared he was a danger to himself. His children were 9, 6, and 1 years old at that time.
Thinking a change of scenery would help, Jimmy left Licking County and SSVF to live with his twin brother in Tennessee. He stayed for over a year, struggled to make peace with his past and eventually returned to Muskingum County. While in Zanesville, and still struggling with his mental health, his 91-year-old grandmother told Jimmy that “serving others is the key to life”, so he started volunteering at his kid’s school. He was serving lunch one day when another veteran in the cafeteria line recognized his distress, asked if he was OK and suggested Jimmy contact Save A Warrior (SAW). He thought about it, but didn’t make the call. When he saw the same man months later at a school field day, he was at the point where he felt he “needed to do something or die.” The man arranged for a rostering call from Save A Warrior and Jimmy was fast-tracked into a program vacancy the following weekend.
According to their website (saveawarrior.org), “SAW is an evidence-based intervention for active-duty military, returning veterans, and first responders who feel desperately alone. SAW is dedicated to the prevention of veteran suicide and the preservation of life through the development and implementation of a groundbreaking, comprehensive program at their non-profit organization…Their holistic approach, founded on evidence-based practices and an unwavering commitment to the human spirit, has garnered a remarkable 99.9% success rate. As the first and only National Center of Excellence for Complex Post Traumatic Stress, they stand as a beacon of hope and resilience for veterans and their families.” Jimmy called his weekend with them “the most profound experience of my life”.
Since his weekend with Save A Warrior a little more than four years ago, Jimmy has become their Ohio Ambassador-a volunteer who offers support to any Warrior who reaches out to him. He has overcome the “moral injury” of Afghanistan, joined Adult Children of Alcoholics, made amends with his parents and recognizes that they did the best job they were capable of doing when he was younger. He has purchased a home in Muskingum County and his children-who are now 17, 14 and 9- are thriving. At 34 years old, he is no longer taking any medication for his heart or his mental health.
And he is more committed than ever to helping others. Jimmy is now a licensed Social Worker. He earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from Ohio University and is currently working on his Masters degree at The Ohio State University. He plans to begin a Doctorate program in the fall with the eventual goal of becoming a clinician for mental health serving vets and first responders. He continues to volunteer with Save A Warrior, as well as the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood. His story is emotional and inspirational-and an example of the amazing domino effect of serving others.