TULSA, Okla — One veteran says he has renewed his faith in humanity after one act of kindness.
Kenneth Daniel said life hasn’t been easy.
He is a veteran and served the country, but after being hit by a truck and losing his wife, he says he found himself living under a bridge in Jenks.
As hard as it was, he said his trick to staying afloat was to look at the bright side of things.
“Negative is not gonna get you anywhere, y’know? What’s it gonna get you? Negative," he said. "You have to be positive, and not just be positive, but just to keep pushing.”
He said falling into dark thoughts is never the answer.
"Don't ever let the darkness and sadness control who you are because it can," he said. "It can turn you into a whole different person."
Kenneth finally got the help he needed to be where he is now- his new home in Tulsa.
He's living with several other roommates who also needed help getting back on their feet after serving.
“They accepted me without hesitation," said Kenneth.
He said it’s all thanks to Heroes Hope.
Sean Lord is the president of the organization.
Being a veteran himself, he said it was important to him to ensure Heroes Hope could lend a helping hand—no matter what.
“We may not have been to the same countries or the same duty stations, but just sharing that I was a marine and served 7 to 8 years in where I was at, instantly builds a friendship,” he said.
One thing he says sets his organization apart is that sobriety is not a requirement to receive help.
“For many of them that are self-medicating, they’re self-medicating because post-traumatic stress leads to violence or really, really vivid dreams that they don’t want to relive," said Sean. "Staying sober for them, with untreated post-traumatic stress, means they often have to choose a violent version of themselves, and they won’t.”
In just the past two years, Sean says Heroes Hope has helped almost 40 veterans- whether it's getting them placed in a home to live in or paying rent for those who are having a tough time.
Now, Kenneth has a new outlook on life.
“I see things a lot different," he said. "I mean, it’s a beautiful house, beautiful people.”
If you would like to get involved with Heroes Hope, you can visit their website here.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
