My Nonprofit Reviews

I applied for this program at a very bleak time in my life. I am a combat wounded United States Marine who has served for 18 years. I was really in desperate need of help. All traditional methods of mental health counseling and medications were not scrapping the surface of my PTSD. I was also in dire need of a kidney transplant and in kidney failure at the time I applied for the S4L program. I was awarded a white tail deer hunt at the Purple Heart ranch location in Texas. This was life changing for me! As you could guess, my life was pretty bleak at that time. I had to stop working and were it not for my family and fur babies would have "checked out".
I went to the ranch and was reminded that there are some great Americans who really appreciate the sacrifices that we service members make. Total sacrifice. The folks really helped nourish my broken spirit. My guide was a tremendous companion and I still remain in contact with him to this day. The fellowship that was shared between the other participants and I was truly priceless. It was just dudes hanging out and being there. No therapy, no medication changes, not endless exposure therapy, just a group of dudes being outdoorsman and hunting White Tail deer.
The deer I harvested were processed and shipped to my home in Florida. I was fortunate enough to harvest two very large bucks and we had meat in the freezer for almost a year. I spent hours with my youngest son making jerky in our oven and he wound bring it to school to share with his friends.
My wife sent the response to me "awww you look so happy!" when I sent the picture of my first buck. That was the first time in a very long time that I have heard those words from her and they were true. I was not pretending like I normally had to. I was truly happy.
Thank you Military Warriors Support Foundation. I tell everyone I can about the program and ask them to donate. I also tell other wounded worriers to participate in the program. I have and still do appreciate the comfort that i garnered from this trip and wish I would apply for another hunt, but I would not want to take the spot of another brother that is in need.

Sincerely
Michael Hernando
SSGT/USMC (RET.)