Andrew's service dog
$9,465
raised towards $7,500 goal
36
Supporters
Days Left
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My name is Andrew O'Connor, I am 36 years old and live in Sheffield, Iowa. I served 13 ½ years in the United States Army where I was an 11B Infantryman. I served 6 tours overseas 4 times in Iraq, 1 time in Afghanistan and 1 tour in Jordan when the whole Syria issue started. While I was in Iraq on a daily basis we would engage in small arms battles and sometimes we would be hit with explosive ordinance.
On August 6th 2007 while on a routine patrol we entered a sector of abandoned houses and began to enter and clear them, while clearing one house my squad entered the house from the north side while myself and one other team member started to enter the back of the house when it exploded and threw me somewhere up to 50 ft away from where I was last standing and knocking me unconscious. I survived while the rest of my squad was killed and I live with the guilt every day that I get to wake up and still live my life.
I have been through about every type of clinic or group you can think of and have tried multiple types of drugs that have a short effect and still do not help me. I struggle almost every day with depression and extreme anxiety. I found Retrieving Freedom through one of my behavior nurses and gave them a call and it is already one of the best decisions I have made to date.
SSG Andrew O'Connor (RET)
Donations in the form of checks may be sent to:
Retrieving Freedom, Inc.
1152 230th Street
Waverly, Iowa 50677