Jamie Willis’ “Canes For Veterans Central Texas” Saved His Life
I always say that we need to more for our veterans. That we can't understand what they have been through but we need to support them through their struggles especially when they come home. Now maybe we can't understand their struggles but fellow veterans can which is why this story is so remarkable.
Texas resident Jamie Willis is an Army veteran whom served during Desert Storm and has suffered for years with PTSD. Not only that, but he has also been left disabled after an injury occurred during an accident in a fighting vehicle. Unfortunately when Willis returned home, all of these circumstances left him feeling hopeless and without a purpose on the line of suicide. That is until he found his new calling.
Jamie was in the search for a can for his disability when he received a free one from a friend of his who made them for vets in Florida. Jamie had heard about how his friend had a waiting list for these canes and when he heard about this Jamie wanted to give back to his fellow vets in the same way. And so came the birth of the Jamie Willis project, "Canes for Veterans Central Texas."
Since 2016, Jamie has made 222 canes that he gives out free to veterans in need of one. He has a waiting list of about 400 people though and that is just from advertising his "business" on a Facebook page. A veteran can actually fill out a form on the page for a free cane. Jamie uses recycled Christmas trees to make these canes which are all donated to him.... he has already received 1,500 and counting! The canes take about 5 days to complete.
According to Jamie, without this business he was on the path towards suicide and this saved his life. If you want to know of someone who needs a cane, want to donated supplies or just check out his story, find him on Facebook!