About Operator

“As I sit outside the VA currently, I can’t help but sit in my feelings. I genuinely believe I wouldn’t have sat here without Hoagie's help. Like many of America's elite warriors after their service, I was lost, just a jellyfish floating in the sea. I didn’t know how to “fix” myself and honestly had lost hope that it was possible. Then came the “team guy” mentality of I can fix and overcome any problem. However, the problem was me, and the overwhelming thought was, well, I must go; I am the cancer. Then, my family can move on and not have the cancer (me) holding them back.

In an epiphany, I remember a few of my really good friends giving me Hoagie's number when I spoke to them about my issues and problems at home. As a last resort and a fuck it, why not mentality, I reached out to Hoagie. I didn’t have high expectations as I had seen countless VA and private practice therapists just to have prescriptions by the dozens thrown at me to fix me. After the first time talking to Hoagie, it took me multiple days to process; wow, he nailed everything on the head with what was going on and how I was feeling and acting. The most important thing I took from talking to Hoagie was that I was not alone anymore and had someone in my corner.

I have spent countless hours on the phone with Hoagie. He has set me up with support and resources that fucking work. Hoagie is even in my wife’s phone contacts as an emergency contact for her to call. My wife brought up to me that she didn’t know who to call if I was having issues, and it terrified her because she didn’t want to lose me. Hoagie is that person to me. He reached his hand down the dark, cold hole of hell and, with a shining bright light behind him, grabbed me, lifted me out of it, and saved my life. God puts people into your life at just the right time. With us all connected in the mycelium universe, Hoagie was my savior and put in my life at the perfect moment before I made the ultimate decision. I still have much work to do, but I’m crawling out of that dark place with the help of Hoagie. He has changed my life; I have hope, will, and support to keep moving forward for my wife, children, and myself. We are living in a pandemic of our elite warriors surviving war and coming home and taking their own lives. We need more Hoagies to fight the pandemic; it’s the only way to beat it.”

-Special Operator