Army Veteran advocates for VA services after difficult battle with PTSD

‘I’m starting to feel human again’

Kyle Blake was washing dishes at his Prescott, Ariz., home one quiet morning in October 2024 when sharp yelping shattered the calm. He froze, then turned and sprinted toward the sound.

In the living room, it was clear his two dogs had clashed. His lab-ridgeback mix was hunched over a food bowl, growling low. His new black labrador puppy lay on the hardwood floor, screaming. Blood was everywhere.

Blake crouched down and gently lifted the puppy’s small, quivering body into his arms. Warm red streaks smeared across his hands.

Then the room vanished.

The familiar walls of his living room gave way to desert heat and blinding light. He could hear distant shouting, a radio squawking, the echo of gunfire. He wasn’t home anymore—he was back on mission under a sun that pressed hard against his helmet, the air thick with dust and fear.

“I was in theater,” he said. “I just stood there bawling my eyes out. I was reliving something I didn’t want to relive.” 

The now 38-year-old Army Veteran deployed twice in his 10-year military career, once to Iraq as a light infantryman, and then later to Afghanistan as a sniper.

When he returned to the civilian world, his life was “fractured.” For years, he fought against intrusive memories and numbed himself with alcohol.

“There was just a lot of anger,” he shared.

His wife, Lorri, who he met after his service, eventually became something like a caretaker to him.

“It got to the point where I couldn’t go anywhere without her,” Blake said.

He didn’t want to be a burden on Lorri, so he often thought she would be better off without him.

“I’m not saying he would ever act on it, but there were a lot of suicidal thoughts,” Lorri said. “I just had to keep talking him off that ledge. Letting him know he is loved; he is supported; he does have people here who will not let him go.”

Blake couldn’t find a positive path forward on his own, so Lorri took the reins. She helped him get a service dog and encouraged him to seek more serious medical attention to address his issues. When he couldn’t find the right combination of effective treatments, she pushed him to be open minded and keep trying other options.

Their journey eventually led Blake to Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System (NAVAHCS) in late 2023. He was skeptical at first, but he knew he had to do something different.

“I was at a catalyst,” he said. “Either I find the courage to seek help from VA, or I lose my wife and family.”

Facing his fears, getting answers

Though Blake was convinced no one would truly understand his demons, he forced himself to try group therapy and quickly realized it was a needed piece to his puzzle. 

“To my surprise, during that session, I saw common ground with others,” he explained. “I felt a sense of happiness; hopefulness; and finally, I was on a mission for peace.”

Through continued group sessions, he began developing trust in Dr. Jennifer Sigler, NAVAHCS’s post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) program manager.

“What we really try to do is collaborate with the Veteran,” she said. “Meet them where they’re at to see what type of treatment will be most helpful for them.”

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan. For Blake, Dr. Sigler suggested he try a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called prolonged exposure, which helps people slowly confront memories, emotions and circumstances connected to their trauma.

“Prolonged exposure really works for a lot of Veterans,” Dr. Sigler said. “It’s difficult, but as long as they know that going into it, then they can usually get through it.”

A whole-health approach has worked best for Blake, including how his physical trauma is connected to his mental. For instance, his Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) at NAVAHCS identified his eyes as the cause of headaches and disorientation that he was frequently experiencing.

“The trauma I had from a blast caused my eyes to revert back to being a 6-year-old’s eyes,” he said.

He now goes to group therapy, prolonged exposure, physical therapy and eye trauma therapy every single week.

“It’s been amazing,” he said. “I feel so much better than I did a year ago.” 

Finding new purpose

As Blake’s physical and mental health noticeably improved, so has his personal life.

He’s now able to be in public for extended periods of time and not rely on his wife to always be there to comfort him.   

“I’m starting to feel human again,” he shared.

What was once an aimless hobby of playing video games has turned into a full-time occupation with meaning behind it. Using multiple online streaming channels, he now hosts video game events for his Veteran peers.

“I have a community full of Veterans that I’ll do charities, fundraisers or gatherings with. Especially for younger Veterans, gaming gets us out of our heads and makes it easier to open up and be there for each other,” he said, noting that he now shares his PTSD journey with family, friends and anyone who needs to hear it.

“With hard work, determination, a few hiccups and giving yourself a little grace, you can be successful,” he recently told a crowd of peers and community members during a PTSD awareness event. “For me, that fracture I mentioned earlier, it began to heal. Yours can too!”

Every Veteran is different, and many may not show any signs of intent to harm themselves. But some actions and behaviors can be a sign that they need help. Learn to recognize the signs of crisis so you can support a Veteran going through a difficult time. Contact your local VA medical center’s Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator or call the Veterans Crisis Line 24/7 by dialing 988 and then pressing 1.