Handcrafted canes for the veterans who earned them

“For many, many years my family pushed me and nagged me to get to the VA and apply for my benefits. I heard lots of horror stories about the hoops they throw at you from other vets so I wasn’t interested in messing with any of it. Mr. Ryan struck up a conversation with me in the grocery store by asking about my USMC tattoo on my arm. After a few minutes we had hit it off, one vet to another. What came after was an offer of a hand in tackling the VA together. He became a strong wind at my back and sometimes a boot in my backside when I needed it to keep the ball rolling. 13 months after that first conversation and now I have a rating for the broken body I got serving, compensation to cover it and VA healthcare that means I don’t have to spend my money to fix what the Corp broke.”

“Life has been extremely challenging and I’m not going to lie, it’s been a struggle. I’m so Thankful for meeting you and you providing me the support I needed to go through the process to apply for benefits. I’ve now been out of the military longer than I served (14 yrs). My service to my country took a serious toll on my body due to the nature of my service. I signed up to be a Paratrooper and I served proudly in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Air Assault Division, amongst other High-Speed units. My service to our country is one of my proudest achievements, but our sacrifice is not just our time, it’s also our body, and for some our life. I had been struggling trying to maintain success in the corporate world, in my relationship and in life, all the while telling myself that I would get to submitting my claims to the VA. Days, months, and years flew by and I still hadn’t moved forward with my claim. I now know why. I lacked the mental, and emotional support I needed. As soldiers it was frowned upon to show signs of weakness and possibly be considered a malingerer if you had physical issues that may take time to heal properly. That mentality stays with you along with the shame I felt for needing help. That’s when I met Ryan, while looking for glasses. I commented on his service dog, and we quickly struck up a conversation once he realized I was a Veteran as well. This man stopped what he was doing for himself after asking me if I had filed a claim with the VA, and I said I hadn’t. He instantly understood why I hadn’t done so sooner and offered me his experience and support to ensure I got what I deserved for my service. Ryan, provided me support and guidance through the whole process, and never left his Battle Buddy behind even when I wanted to quit. His understanding of my emotional state allowed him to connect with me in a way that took away the shame and provided me with the strength I needed to go through the process. I know without a doubt, that if it wasn’t for Ryan providing me the support, kindness, and compassion I needed; I would still be without the benefits I now receive. Thank You Ryan for being there for me when I needed you the most!”