HER
HER NEWBORN BABY GIRL. .
.
. >>>
. >>> IT
. >>> IT IS A SILENT BATTLE FOR SO
MANY PEOPLE.
MANY PEOPLE. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS KARE 11
REPORTER LINDSEY SEAVERT ALONG
WITH CHRIS HANSON FROM OUR
SISTER STATION, KUSA, HAVE BEEN
QUIETLY FOLLOWING THE JOURNEY OF
A MINNESOTA SOLDIER SUFFERING
FROM PTSD.
FROM PTSD. THEY SAID AT TIMES IT WAS RAW,
IT WAS DIFFICULT, BUT THEY WERE
THERE AS HIS SUFFERING SLOWLY
TURNED INTO HEALING WITH THE
HELP OF A PROJECT THAT COULD END
UP HELPING COUNTLESS OTHERS.
>> OH, YES, IT ALWAYS FEELS GOOD
WHEN I GET IT RIGHT.
>> Reporter: FOR HER FIRST
SCULPTOR, AN ARTIST LIVING IN
THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS, SET OUT
TO FIND A SOLDIER IN A VALLEY.
SHE BEGAN BY REACHING INTO THE
SHADOWS ALL THE WAY TO SAND
STONE, MINNESOTA.
STONE, MINNESOTA. >> BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET AWAY
FROM THE PAIN EVERY DAY.
>> Reporter: BRIAN ZIMMERMAN
SERVED AS AN ARMY INFANTRY MAN
IN THE GULF WAR.
25 YEARS LATER, HE CAN'T FORGET
THE WAR WAGED IN HIS BODY.
HIS GULF WAR SYNDROME TRIGGERS
PTSD.
PTSD.
PTSD. >>
PTSD. >> SOME DAYS IT'S A STRUGGLE TO
EVEN GET OUT OF BED.
THE JOINTS SWELL UP, AND VERY
PAINFUL.
PAINFUL.
PAINFUL. SO THE PAIN LEADS YOU TO
THINKING BACK TO THE END OF WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME.
AND IT NEVER GOES AWAY.
YOU GET PRETTY LOW IN LIFE.
YOU REALIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT THE
PERSON YOU WANT TO BE.
>> THE DAY I CALLED HIM WAS THE
DAY HE WAS GOING TO TAKE -- WAS
GOING TO END IT.
>> Reporter: BRIAN WILL NOT
DWELL ON HIS SORROW THAT DAY.
>> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. >>
>> NO. >> Reporter: BUT IN HIS FACE
WHERE WORDS DON'T LIVE.
>> OH, THAT'S BETTER TOO.
>> Reporter: AN ARTIST'S OFFER
COAXED HIM OUT.
>> ANITA ASKED ME WHAT I WOULD
HAVE DONE TO HELP ONE OF MY
BROTHERS THAT I SERVED WITH.
AND I SAID I WOULD HAVE DONE
ANYTHING TO HELP HIM.
AND THEN SHE SAID THEN YOU HAVE
TO DO THIS.
>> I THINK SOMETIMES THE PAIN
JUST RENDERS A PERSON SILENT.
SO MAYBE THIS WILL SPEAK.
>> Reporter: THE CONVERSATION
BEGAN UNEXPECTEDLY TWO YEARS AGO
WHEN A TRAVELING MILITARY
TRIBUTE STOPPED IN MINNESOTA.
>> THE FIRST THING CAUGHT ME WAS
THAT THEY WERE ALL LOOKING AT ME
FROM EVERY ANGLE AND THAT THEY
ALL LOOKED SO HAPPY.
>> Reporter: THE EYES OF FREEDOM
HONORS THE MEN WHO HAVE FALLEN.
AMONG THE HARDEST HIT IN THE
IRAQ WAR.
IRAQ WAR.
IRAQ WAR. AND HERE BRIAN MET MIKE.
>> SO MANY VETERANS THAT ARE
CHOOSING THE WRONG WAY OUT.
>> Reporter: MIKE SURVIVED THE
ROADSIDE BOMB THAT KILLED HIS
FELLOW MARINES, BUT HE STILL
SERVES WITH HIS BROTHERS TAKING
THEIR MEMORIAL ON THE ROAD WITH
A CHANCE CONNECTION HE
INTRODUCED BRIAN TO THE ARTIST
BEHIND THOSE PORT RATS.
>> IT'S AN HONOR.
>> Reporter: ANITA MILLER.
>> I THINK IT'S DUE TO THEM.
>>
>> Reporter: THAT'S WHEN ANITA KNEW THE MARINES SHE SPENT YEARS
PAINTING WOULD NOW REACH THROUGH
THE CANVAS AND RECRUIT THIS
SOLDIER.
SOLDIER.
SOLDIER. >> OUR BRAINS ARE LIKE LIGHTNING
STORMS GOING OFF INSIDE.
>> IT'S REALLY HIS WHOLE BODY
THAT'S SPEAKING.
THAT'S SPEAKING. >> Reporter: AS ANITA WORKS FROM
AFAR, BRIAN IS NOW THE SUBJECT
AND INSPIRATION OF HER SCULPTOR.
HIS SUFFERING TAKES ON NEW
FORMS.
FORMS.
FORMS. >>
FORMS. >> A LOT OF PEOPLE NEED THIS.
VETS FROM HIS UNIT HAVE RECENTLY
TAKEN THEIR LIVES.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HURT.
>> Reporter: ONE YEAR LATER, ART
HAS BECOME THERAPY, BRIAN NEVER
KNEW HE NEEDED.
>> IT'S LOOKING PRETTY MUCH
READY.
READY.
READY. I
READY. I MEAN, IT HAS KIND OF A ROUGH
QUALITY TO IT.
>> FEELS LIKE A BEAT UP SOLDIER,
YEAH, THAT FITS.
YOU SHOULD SEE MY HANDS TODAY.
>> YEAH, IT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE A
LITTLE BEAT UP HERE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS SCULPTOR
IS GOING TO DO FOR PEOPLE?
>> THIS REACHES OUT TO
EVERYBODY.
EVERYBODY. >> CLOSURE.
>> CLOSURE. >> Reporter: DARKNESS WAS ONCE A
LONELY COMPANION.
LONELY COMPANION. BUT NOW HIGH ABOVE THE MOUNTAINS
OF LEWISTON, IDAHO, BRIAN CAN
FINALLY SEE HE'S NO LONGER
ALONE.
ALONE.
ALONE. >>
ALONE. >> THAT'S WHAT AMERICA'S ABOUT.
>> Reporter: IN A COMMUNITY
CONCERNED ABOUT ITS RATE OF
VETERAN SUICIDE, THE SCULPTURE
IS USHERED IN WITH TENDER CARE.
>> IT'S GOING TO BE VERY
EMOTIONAL.
EMOTIONAL. THAT FACE ISN'T GOING TO BE
MINE, IT'S GOING TO BE SOME
OTHER GUY'S I KNEW.
>> Reporter: IT'S NOW BEEN TWO
YEARS SINCE BRIAN MADE ANITA
THAT PROMISE HE WOULD LIVE TO
SEE THIS DAY.
>> YOU HIT IT.
>> Reporter: THE DAY THE
STATUE'S SILENT BATTLE WOULD SET
HIM FREE.
HIM FREE.
HIM FREE. >> YOU NAILED IT, YOU GOT IT.
>> YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR ARMS
AROUND HIM.
AROUND HIM. YOU CAN FEEL HIM.
REMEMBER THAT NIGHT I HAD YOU
MEASURE YOUR FINGERS?
THOSE ARE YOUR FINGERS.
>> YOU NAILED IT, AND I LIKE HOW
YOU DID THE LACES JUST PERFECT.
YOU WORE THE TREAD DOWN ON THE
BOOTS TOO.
BOOTS TOO. >> UH-HUH.
>> UH-HUH. >> LOOKS AWESOME.
>> Reporter: A VETERAN'S VISION
AND AN ARTIST'S HAND.
THE SCULPTURE WILL NOW TRAVEL
ALONGSIDE ANITA'S PAINTING.
>> THE LOVE YOU SHOW WOULD BE A
GREAT GIFT AROUND THE WHOLE
COUNTRY, AND, SO IT'S PERFECT
THAT YOU ARE THE ONES TO CHARGE
THIS SCULPTURE.
THIS SCULPTURE. IF YOU WOULD TAKE TIME BEFORE
YOU LEAVE TO COME UP AND PUT
YOUR HANDS ON HIM.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY THAT WILL
SEE THIS STATUE WILL SEE A
DIFFERENT FACE ON IT.
I THINK THAT THEY'LL SEE THE
FACE THEY WANT TO SEE.
IT'S JUST A SYMBOL.
>> AND IT'S RAW, AND IT'S OKAY
TO BE RAW.
>> Reporter: WITH WOUNDS NOW IN
THE FLESH BEARING SCARS INSTEAD
OF MEDALS.
OF MEDALS. >> THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
>> Reporter: A COMBAT VETERAN
WHO ONCE COULDN'T SHOULDER PTSD
NOW DEPLOYS ON A NATIONWIDE
PURSUIT.
PURSUIT.
PURSUIT. >> WE'RE GOING TO HELP PEOPLE,
WE'RE GOING TO HELP A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE.
PEOPLE. >> Reporter: TO CARRY THE
BURDENONS OF HIS BROTHERS AND
SISTERS TO BRING A PEACE MORE
EVERLASTING THAN BRONZE.
>> YOU CAN PUT YOUR ARMS AROUND
HIM.
HIM.
HIM. >>
HIM. >> Reporter: LINDSEY SEAVERT,
KARE 11 NEWS.
WELL, IF YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM
PTSD OR KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS,
WE'RE TOLD THERE'S A VERY WELL
RESEARCH