The last you heard about this saga of a Dallas Vet named Leo he grown to love the community surrounding Daily Kos not just for your generosity but because you cared more than he believed possible. He became The Hakaishin.
He told you about a homeless family of 5 who were getting on a Greyhound Bus to travel 778 miles from the Kentucky Hills to Dallas. The father, a friend of Leo's, needs treatment for a severe and profound case of PTSD. His wife is recovering from a recent heart attack.
They are not making this move because of what I have done, they made it because The Hakaishin and his wife and another friend will be there to help them. After the jump, you'll find out how important you were. I think you saved a life.
When I first introduced Leo to you I mentioned that Leo, The Hakaishin had another friend who needed the help even more than he did. That was true. The friend considered suicide more than once. A small circle of online friends were convinced that if he didn't get help very quickly, the guy was a goner. glescagal got him to call. I did what I could. My first efforts nearly killed him - the details are known to VA. As you will see, the VA I know and almost trust has come through for him. So did many of you.
Tuesday, money left over from your contributions to Leo, The Hakaishin were sent by
Scott from the KINship Project via Western Union [note: DO NOT EVER USE WESTERN UNION - we'll talk in the comments]. Tuesday night, a very shakey Veteran, his wife and three daughters left Bowling Green, KY headed for Dallas. The ride was a year overdue. They were scared out of their minds every inch of the way.
They were met in Dallas by a former Marine Sergeant whose field name is Onyx [he is not a Kossack - by a wide margin not a Kossack but he is good people]. They went to the Leo's new home. It was a homecoming + family reunion + new found friends meeting for the first time. Chaos was provided by the kids. Then, the men gathered to talk. Tomorrow, this guy they all tried to rescue had to open up and tell everything - all of it. He had to take a huge leap of faith and believe everything told to him about the VA by someone he has never met and only talked. He had to.
One of the points his friends made was that here he was sitting in Dallas because some people who never met him, don't know much about him [and probably never will], thought it was their turn to step up, to catch his back, to give him and his family a chance at life. They got through to him. He wasn't ready, but he knew that time would never come. It was time.
Early in the morning, Onyx picked them up and drove them to Dallas VA. The VA was ready. My kind of VA swung into action. They were fired up. They were ready to go. A rock star of a social worker had toys lined up for the kids, had a change of clothing ready for everyone, and got the parents started through learning all that VA has to offer. Tomorrow appointments begin early and the morning and will take all day. He will be diagnosed and treatment started. The family will be taken care of - and it won't be luxurious, but they won't be homeless, either. Throughout the day today they heard this:
Those people At Daily Kos are crazy.
Just Crazy. Wonderful, amazing, but just crazy.
Yes, Dallas, we are. But the burden of providing the help this Veteran needs has shifted to your shoulders. Keep up doing what you did today for this Veteran. If you do he and his family will have something not even the Great Orange Satan can provide - a future.
I hope that this diary concludes our community's involvement with the lives of these two families. I came to you with the promise of a very limited project and everyone has shown me how generous you are. But Daily Kos is not an ATM for every veteran. The Hashiskan and his wife made it very clear that all you have given them would be shared with this second family. In many ways it already has.
We can start with love and respect.
It's The Hashiskan's story to tell from this point forward. I hope he keeps you updated - maybe even with a picture or two. I will continue helping The Hashiskan's and this family. Onyx could use some help, too.
My thanks to all of you for reading, contributing, and doing more than many Veterans ever believed possible. I never had a doubt.