The Shadow
Brandon Knick and Ryan Robertson made up the 2nd class to graduate from the Alleghany County/City of Covington Adult Drug Treatment Court, with an audience of a little of over 50 in attendance, last Tuesday afternoon.
The Honorable Edward Stein, Alleghany County Circuit Court Judge, welcomed the audience to the program’s 2nd graduation and Ingrid Barber, Executive Director, Alleghany Highlands Community Services opened the program and introduced the guest speaker, Cory Will.
Will, a 17-year Marine Corp veteran, is a licensed master’s Social Worker, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and a Peer Recovery Specialist Trainer in the state of Virginia. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology, a bachelor’s in Counterintelligence, and a master’s in Special Work. He currently serves as Treasurer on the Ethics Committee with the Virginia Certification of Boards.
Following multiple combat tours, Will was diagnosed with Chronic Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and lasting effects from multiple instances of traumatic brain injury. After years of navigating the mental health system, he was able to learn to live with his mental health challenges through a person-centered model with a large element of peer recovery support. In addition, he worked with the PAWS for People foundation and trained rigorously to receive his service dog, Samson, to help him interrupt, mitigate, and manage his symptoms.
“It’s not hard but it’s a hell of a lot of hard work,” began Will as he took to the podium with his successor service companion, Peyton, at this side. “It never really gets easy, but it gets so much better,” added Will. He explained that he wasn’t given much of an option when he joined the Marines. He was in court for a “minor probation hiccup” when the judge gave him the option of going to “big boy jail” as a 19-year-old adult or to join the service and “get out of my city.”
Will joined the Marines and got out of that city. Seventeen years later, after multiple combat tours, and “sucking up and burying his feelings,” he found other ways to deal with things he hadn’t previously dealt with.
On his way to a 20-year retirement, “the things I hadn’t dealt with started cropping up and I couldn’t sleep,” said Will. He became “a treatment failure” and could no longer perform his job. He was then placed on “a medical retirement pathway.” However, after some military downsizing, his job field opened for early retirement, and his boss told him to turn in his “retirement papers after the Christmas Holiday, that year.”
With suicidal thoughts and one attempt, Will knew he had “to do something.” At this time, he ran into PAWS for people. They used a peer model, and this gave him a little hope. He got even more confidence after he was given Samson, a service companion, so he attached himself to their recovery program. “Peer work saved my life, said Will.
He encouraged the graduates to read the book: A Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl and left them with a couple of things that he believed could impact their lives: Attitude and Effort. “Change your attitude and put in as much effort as you can,” said Will. He defined success as “doing a little bit better than yesterday.” He also shared his daily routine up getting up an hour and a half earlier than everyone else in his household, doing about 30 minutes of a morning workout, and writing something that he is grateful for.”
“Graduation, it doesn’t stop here. It’s going to be a struggle. What you can keep doing so you can be well and be there for others is to be your authentic self and please, please, please share what has happened,” added Will. “It’s truly powerful to other people when you talk about what you went through and what you accomplished,” encouraged Will. He closed by encouraging the graduates “to come back to future graduations and future events and to stay in touch because you are going to be that beacon of hope for others.”
Knick thanked those for standing beside him as he accepted his certificate and gift bag from Lydia Hall, Drug Court Coordinator and Kaitlin Bradley, Case Manager. Robertson thanked God for sustaining him, his friends, family, Stein, and the drug court for standing with him.
Stein gave some closing comments, thanked everyone for their participation in the day’s events, and wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
The 2023 Graduation Program was followed by a reception in the Jury Room.
