Liberty County firefighter and U.S. Army veteran Trent Williams runs Team PIP, short for Pain into Power, to help veterans and first responders recover from PTSD. He describes the support as listening, caring and talking with people, while emphasizing that they do the work of recovery themselves.
Williams said injuries led to his early retirement from the Army. During a difficult period, he felt weak and alone, including in his relationships with his wife and children. He said he was routinely drunk and using painkillers, and that he nearly took his own life. A photograph of his daughter helped him decide to keep fighting, he said.
Williams is also the world record holder for weighted tricep dips. He runs Team PIP outside his work fighting fires. He said honesty and opening up can be an important first step for people seeking help. Returning home after a traumatic experience and taking on the role of a father can be difficult, he said.
The National Center for PTSD says veterans are three times more likely to develop the disorder. Williams wants more mental-health resources for first responders and greater awareness of veterans’ mental-health needs. He said he can personally help only so many people, and that the people he supports are responsible for their own recovery.
Williams said he had a heart attack in April from overworking. Since then, he has been trying to find balance in the life he loves. He also said he feels compelled to help because someone he cannot reach could end up at the same low point he experienced.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
