At nearly 60-years old, James Obermesik has lived through more than most. He served four years in the Air Force, endured dozens of surgeries and weathered the pain of a fractured family. For a time, his spirit broke under the weight of it all. But today, he’s still standing, still fighting and slowly learning how to live again, discovering, perhaps for the first time, that he deserves to.
That’s because, since his teenage years, smoking and drinking was his vice of choice, and they had taken a toll.
Struggling with addiction and mental health
Substances crept more into his hands as Obermesik returned from service with an honorable discharge and an injured back. He spiraled into drugs, into deeper depression, into survival mode.
Despite his longing for a clean way forward, he spiraled into darkness after service, constantly chasing the next high.
Today, Obermesik is clear-eyed and candid, sitting in the safety of the VA Medical Center. “If it weren’t for this place,” he said, “I’d be dead. No question.”
From 1995 to 2023, Obermesik was misdiagnosed, mis prescribed and misunderstood. It was not until 2024 that he received a proper mental health diagnosis: bipolar disorder.
A miracle changed everything
With the right treatment, everything changed. “It was like a miracle,” he said. “Suddenly, the impulses weren’t winning anymore. For the first time in decades, I had control.”
Obermesik had cycled through shelters, psychiatric hospitals and temporary programs for years. But nothing stuck, not until a social worker at Fort Pierce VA Clinic asked a simple question: “Are you a Veteran?”
That moment triggered a chain of events that led Obermesik to the West Palm Beach VA and to the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans program.
It wasn’t easy for him. The Domiciliary is a place of structure, healing and accountability. But Obermesik knew what was at stake.
“If it were not for my sister and a social worker at VA, I wouldn’t have gotten the help I really needed. I thought I was coming here to lose my freedom, but what I really lost were my chains. I know what it’s like to live for the next high. Now, I want to live for the next healing,” he shared, nearing the completion of his Domiciliary program.
From being surrounded by drugs and regrets to now protecting his peace, take it from the Air Force Veteran: There is always a chance to turn things around.
“For anyone reading this, if you are a Veteran and you are in the darkness, I want you to know: VA saved my life,” he added. “There is an SOS being sent out. But only you can choose to answer it. If you want to grab that life vest, just once more, VA is there. But you must take the first step.”
The Domiciliary Program was established in the late 1860’s and now serves as an active clinical treatment and rehabilitation program for Veterans across VA. Learn more about VA Homeless Programs.
Topics in this story
More Stories
The theme for this year’s National Nutrition Month, “Discover the Power of Nutrition,” highlights how nutrition has the power to help individuals and communities thrive.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancers among Veterans.
Your breath can be your doorway to a calm mind and a peaceful day. Explore this short practice to find your breath.
Thank you for the insightful article reflecting on the bioethics commissions’ contributions over the years. I particularly appreciated the point about how public engagement in these ethical discussions can greatly influence policy decisions. To expand on this, it’s interesting to note how bioethics has evolved alongside advancements in technology, such as CRISPR and telemedicine. These developments bring forth unique ethical dilemmas that previous commissions, operating without the knowledge of such technologies, didn’t have to navigate. For example, the rapid pace of genetic editing raises questions not just about individual rights, but also about the implications for future generations—something that could benefit from future commissions’ oversight to ensure equitable access and ethical use. With the significant role of governmental institutions in shaping bioethical discourse, I’d be curious to hear your thoughts on how mechanisms like the “writ of mandamus” might come into play when bioethical policies are stalled or overlooked by regulatory bodies. Can these legal tools help ensure that ethical standards are upheld more uniformly across sectors?