Gary

I am a dedicated dad, husband, and proud new papa with 20 years of experience as a firefighter-paramedic in Arizona. For two decades, I have served the community, facing the daily challenges and intense situations that come with the job. Along the way, I encountered something I never anticipated: PTSD. For years, I didn’t even know what PTSD was, let alone recognize it in myself. But after a difficult journey of diagnosis and treatment over the past four years, I have come to understand and accept it.

Today, I use my experience with PTSD not only to heal but also to help others in the first responder community who are struggling, just like I once did. My mission is to break the silence around PTSD and mental health in emergency services, offering support, understanding, and real talk to those who need it most. As a first responder, dad, and now a new Papa, I bring a unique perspective to the conversation—one rooted in personal experience, understanding, and hope.