Golf Clubs & Lessons for Richard Paye, U.S. Navy Veteran

During our chat, we shared an emotional moment that Richard summarized in the following testimony:

"I was born in Long Island, NY. When I turned 18, I joined the military, choosing to go to the Navy, where I spent four years, 3 of which I was on the USS Enterprise aircraft carrier. I was a yellow shirt on the flight deck directing aircraft, which was an amazing but very dangerous job. Being on an aircraft carrier, you get to see some of the most beautiful sights, along with some of the darkest. I've lost close friends to the dangerous atmosphere onboard that ship in the most horrific way imaginable. I served in two wars, and when I realized that the military was no longer for me, it was too late. The damage was already done, and now I get to live the rest of my life with this demand inside of me called PTSD! So, I decided it was time to leave the military and try my hand at being a police officer. I eventually got accepted to be a member of the finest police department in the world, The NYPD.

I remember thinking to myself that this was going to be a great career, and it was, but the darkness surrounded you every day, and there were times you had to make split decisions in a matter of seconds. Decisions that could and would change you and the people that were involved. Once again, I found myself seeing the darkness as an everyday occurrence. When I thought I had seen it all, 9/11 hit, and my deepest and darkest moments lay ahead. Hell on earth was again at my feet, and it didn't disappoint. The demons that lived inside of me were fueled more and more each day. The PTSD only got worse and worse; with no help from within the department, it became a battle that I fought alone. If it were not for my soulmate, best friend, and wife, I wouldn't be here today to tell some of this story. Together, we fought side by side to defeat the demons that festered inside my head. And though we have made great progress in the fight, the ugly monster called PTSD still lives within me; it's a daily fight.

The problem with the military and police department is they build you into this machine designed for war, but when you leave, they no longer want anything to do with you and treat you as though you are trash discarded on the side of the road. The Will of Iron accepted us broken and discarded veterans into their open arms and is constantly making a difference through their generosity and the love of golf. I'm a proud man with a lot of dark history, and I'm not at all ashamed to tell you that I had a tear in my eye the moment Xiomara accepted me with no judgment as she does with all the vets who are accepted into this wonderful program. It was one of the first times I felt I wasn't discarded trash on the side of the road, but a human being with value. I tried to hold back the tears but could not look this lady giving me so much in the face without shedding a tear. I am proud to be a part of the Will of Iron and the 196th member to be accepted with wide open arms. Thank you, Will of Iron, for everything you have done for me and my fellow vets. You are saving lives, and I don't think you are fully aware of it.
Sincerely Richard Paye."