'I literally would not be here': The dog that saved this veteran’s life

The Senior

RAAF veteran Ian Fletcher, who battled crippling PTSD after leaving the service, has credited his assistance dog Twix for saving his life and helping him find purpose again.

Transcript

00:00oh hello yes hello this is twix he's my assistance dog basically without twix there's no journey

00:12there's no life i literally would not be here if i didn't have him anywhere that i can legally go

00:19he comes with me shopping centers dentists quite often um in the shower he'll sit outside the door

00:25he's with me 24 7. he's like a sponge another way that i i can look at it is that when i'm out in the

00:31bow i don't i don't like the attention and i get overwhelmed with big crowds of people

00:36but normally the conversations will start through him oh he's a nice dog he's he's well behaved a

00:43simple question is what he does for me he does so much for me he he he allows me to live one way of

00:49looking at it is twix has my back so i can keep looking towards the horizon and beyond

00:55uh he gives me pride i have dignity back i can get out and i can assimilate and and um get back

01:03into the community and be somebody when i got out there was no transition what not what they have

01:10today i physically got out of the service on a friday so i was technically unemployed for two days

01:15and i started in local government on the monday and there was nothing there was like hand your id

01:20card back in let's front gate seal at it i didn't have an opportunity to be deprogrammed

01:25you know you join the service what 17 18 years old you're stripped down of individuality you're

01:33built back up to work as a team do all that and then you get out there was nothing that i was lost

01:40i ended up um massive break down my marriage broke down after all these 45 year partnership

01:52i was devastated and i was suicidal i was at the point where i had planned it i knew exactly what to

01:58do and through the help of my my kids um particularly my daughter uh i ended up in hospital

02:05i still remember standing on the ward looking out the window thinking well you know i i can just

02:13end it or i can take this opportunity to to um to want help you know you can lead a horse to water

02:22but you can't make them drink it and everyone knows that saying but it means so much because

02:27the force is not thirsty i was the force i was ready

02:30once i um put my hand up the amount of help that i have received

02:37seriously i cannot turn around say i've got no help because if you want the help if you're thirsty

02:44for it the help is helpful you've only got to ask and that's a big point that i'm trying to get out

02:51to veterans is i'm not talking about information that i've read on a pamper on a coffee table i'm not

02:57talking about a university degree i'm talking like experiences i've been in the darkest place i've

03:03been suicidal and then i've realized that i'm worth fighting for i've got something that's worth

03:08fighting for in your darkest hours you've only got to put your hand up and say you know what

03:14i'm going to give this a crack because hate to say it what do you got to lose you're in a dark place

03:20you're not have a go at it and you might surprise yourself and i challenge everyone take a moment

03:26out of your day get a bit of paper and just write down what you've achieved in 12 months it can be

03:31anything right there and i guarantee you it's fill up both sides of the boat it's an incredible

03:36journey and i'm glad i'm still here

03:38you

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended