K9 Partners For Patriots Increases PTSD Awareness With Help From Willie Nelson
To generate greater awareness of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and prevent veteran suicide, K9 Partners for Patriots has produced ‘Too Sick to Pray’, a video featuring Willie Nelson’s song of the same title from his Spirit CD, (1996).
“How this came about falls somewhere between good fortune and divine intervention,” said Gregg Laskoski, communications director, K9 Partners for Patriots. “The first song my daughter, Lauren, ever sang was on that Spirit CD and she was about three years old at the time… Listening recently to the same CD gave me a sense of ‘discovery’ because it became clear that ‘Too Sick to Pray’ applies perfectly to our veterans struggling with PTSD. That song is a gem that was hidden in plain view.”
When Willie Nelson appeared at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL, (2/14/20) for a performance with his sons, Lukas and Micah, they all met with a small group from K9 Partners for Patriots and learned how service dogs help veterans with PTSD find their path forward.
“If we didn’t have Willie’s blessing, we wouldn’t have done this video,” said Mary Peter, founder and executive director of training operations, K9 Partners for Patriots. “He thanked us for using his song!”
“We cannot begin to express the gratitude and admiration we have for Willie, Lukas, Micah, and the entire Nelson family,” added Peter. “And, we are especially grateful for the message shared on Willie’s Facebook page expressing support for our program: https://www.facebook.com/WillieNelson
“God bless him!” she said.
K9 Partners for Patriots https://k9partnersforpatriots.com is a nonprofit 501c3 organization based in Brooksville, FL. Its mission is to give veterans and active military a second chance at life by empowering those with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Military Sexual Trauma (MST) through the experience of training and caring for their own service dog.