11 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca Fighting to Reclaim a Dying Heritage (continued) (VAC). I had to fight for the entitlements I’d been denied for over 20 years. I was physically weak, nearly paralyzed on my right side, and forgetful. I thought I was near the end, but once again the warrior spirit in me said, “Not yet.” I fought and clawed and scratched to recover what was lost. In the midst of that fight, I ran across an ad on Facebook for the Veterans Transition Network. I was immediately interested. I’d never done anything like it, and I thought the challenge might help me work through the trauma I experienced in the military. VTN had a group in Manitoba, but I chose to go to Alberta instead. I wanted to be somewhere fresh where nobody knew me. When I arrived, I immediately found the challenge I was looking for. This was a different band of brothers than any I had ever known. To work through these difficult issues with those new faces was refreshing. Still, the realities of my physical condition made every moment an intense physical and psychological challenge. The medicine took as much a toll on me as the lingering damage from my stroke. I couldn’t write. If I sat, I couldn’t stand without help. All I wanted to do was sleep; I had to be poked and prodded to stay awake. But, through all of it, those brothers carried me. They supported me the entire way. I’m a 6’2” blue-eyed warrior. I’m nobody’s boy, and I’ve never backed down from a fight. To step into that circle and to deal with my psychological baggage was more than humbling. This was nothing like the ceremonies and traditions of my people. This was academic—it made me think in ways I’d not had to think before, to keep things in line. It was hard, but it was good. And what they gave me, I was able to give back in the form of my own knowledge, experience, and cultural teaching. That was the best part. Through my entire life, I’ve believed that, what you give out, you get back twofold. Spirit and Strength for the Future I’d like to say VTN made everything better, but here I am 6 years after my stroke. I still struggle. My memory still fails me. I’m still weak on my right side. I still take the pills. I’m alright in the morning, but by the afternoon I can barely think, speak, or stand. It’s hard for me to live like this, to rely on others to care for me. But what VTN did was teach me how to think about these things and, more than that, to once again take up the challenge of stepping outside myself. To share with and help those other men confirmed me in my lifetime calling as a warrior. It strengthened my spirit to help my First Nations brothers and sisters reclaim their cultural and spiritual heritage, to raise awareness of the struggle they face in the military, and to make Canada a better and stronger nation for everyone. Life is too short. It’s a blessing. It’s sacred. That’s the message I want to impress on people who’ve given up on life. Don’t hit and run. Don’t back down. Participate in the circle of life and do good for all. That’s what I’m here for. I don’t own my life; it belongs to my people. I’m here to serve wherever the spirit leads me.
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