  Guest speaker, FRANKIE PEREZ, CPL, US Army National Guard (Retired), and founder of the Post Traumatic Art Foundation in Puerto Rico, gave an overview of how he came to create the Foundation whose aim is to help veterans with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) overcome the effects of combat injuries resulting in brain damage and suicide attempts. Corporal Perez, the youngest of 10 siblings, entered the Army in 2001, During his deployment to Iraq, he was struck by an improvised explosive device in 2005. For almost ten years, he struggled with PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury and In 2008 he attempted suicide and was intubated for 30 hours. In 2014, he attended a Project Odyssey with Wounded Warrior Project and it was this life-changing experience that he was able to find purpose. Our speaker is well on his way with his goal to start his own non-profit organization on the use of art to continue to help veterans overcome and create awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. Veteran of five military campaign deployments and holder of ten Awards and Decorations, FRANKIE currently volunteers as a Warrior Leader for Post-9/11 veterans in Puerto Rico. Hurricanes Irma and Maria also saw him volunteer to aid in relief efforts throughout our island. |
