Heisman Trophy Winner Meets Service Members, Addresses Mental Illness
Today@NPS
Heisman Trophy Winner Meets Service Members, Addresses Mental Illness
By MC2 Shawn J. Stewart
Retired National Football League (NFL) player and Heisman Trophy Winner Herschel Walker is pictured, left, with Quartermaster 2nd Class Ricky Jones at the General Stilwell Community Center, July 15. Walker spoke about his struggles with dissociative identity disorder and encouraged service members struggling with mental illness to get the help they deserve.
“There is no shame in our service members asking for help [due to mental illness], because above all, they are warriors who put this country first and they are afforded the right to get better,” said Walker. Walker also spoke at length about the courage it took to seek treatment for his mental illness.
“When I got out of this hospital, some of my closest friends thought I was a vampire … it was scary to them that I went to a mental health hospital. They thought I had a disease. But I didn’t care, because I’d seen the light and now I feel better,” said Walker.
Walker nearly joined the military prior to playing professional football. Unable to decide between the Marine Corps and the NFL, he relegated his decision to a coin toss. The NFL won, but Walker remains a staunch supporter of the military. He thanked everyone in attendance for their service.
“Thank you for all that you have done. You give me the privilege to do what I do,” said Walker. “A lot of people in the civilian world don’t realize that the reason this country is where it is today is not due to politicians, but because we have the best military the world has ever known.”