Warriors Choice Foundation looks to redefine veteran resources
The nonprofit tailors PTSD-treatment plans for each veteran it helps, offering resources in one-on-one counseling, occupational therapy, wellness retreats, sensory deprivation float tanks and more.
'We try to make it our mission to being able to provide essentially that choice back to the individual, being able to say, 'Hey, look, what do I need for me to get better?' and to take it from there and just kind of give them that sovereignty,' Longo told 'Morning in America' on Memorial Day.
Arlington National Cemetery's Section 60 honors Iraq, Afghanistan vets
By taking veterans' care from the one-size-fits-all mold, Longo said it's possible to recognize 'what's accessible and available out there that isn't really covered through insurance a lot of the times.'
Longo said his own service dog, Bourbon, is 'the founder of this organization.'
'Through his lines and litter, we had 17 puppies that went out to veterans initially, and then as we started growing with the organization,' he said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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The Hill
4 days ago
- The Hill
What is CTE, and did it factor into the NYC deadly shooting?
The man who police say fatally shot four people in Manhattan and who New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday was targeting the offices of the National Football League claimed he suffered from a degenerative brain injury caused by repeated brain injuries and trauma. Police say that gunman Shane Tamura, 27, had a three-page note in his wallet saying he suffered from a brain disease and was requesting that the league study his brain. Although repeated brain trauma can lead to CTE, the disease can only be definitively diagnosed after death. Experts do not believe CTE is linked to one single brain injury, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, in many cases, it is related to repeated head injuries, like concussions, which may be linked to contact sports such as football or to military combat. Tamura played high school football outside of Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times, but did not play beyond that level. Police said Tamura shot himself in the chest rather than in the head, according to The New York Times. 'Study my brain, please,' his note read. 'I'm sorry.' A request seeking comment from the NFL was not immediately returned to NewsNation on Tuesday. Despite Tamura's belief that he suffered from CTE, Dr. Robert Cantu, the co-founder and medical director at the Concussion Legacy Foundation, told NewsNation that, in all likelihood, he did not. 'It's a tragedy beyond belief that he did what he did,' Cantu said Tuesday. 'But it's also a tragedy that he thought he had CTE, and the next thing he's going to do is give up hope and probably lose his own life as well as others.' A 2023 study conducted by the Boston University Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center shows that the disease is common among youth sports, NewsNation previously reported. The study found that more than 40 percent of young athletes who died before the age of 30 suffered from CTE, which has been reported in patients as early as the age of 17. The study analyzed the brains of 152 donors, all of whom played contact sports and were younger than 30 when they died. Research found that 63 of the 152 patients had CTE based on criteria, although most of the cases were considered mild. Most of the donors, including 70 percent of those found to have the condition, only played amateur sports, the study found. Cantu, citing the study, said that young people who were found to have Stage 1 or Stage 2 CTE suffered the same symptoms as people who were not diagnosed with the disease after their death. Most of the brains that were examined as part of the study experienced primarily psychiatric symptoms of anxiety, depression or behavioral issues such as being easily angered. Most troubling to researchers, Cantu said, is that those who were diagnosed as having CTE were not distinguishable from those who did not, based on the symptoms alone. He said that it was caused by repetitive head trauma, which can produce psychiatric, behavioral and cognitive symptoms even without the condition being present. What are the symptoms of CTE? Experts at the Mayo Clinic report that there are no specific symptoms that are linked directly to CTE. However, some of those who have been diagnosed with degenerative brain injury have experienced cognitive, behavioral and mood changes. Among those behavioral changes listed by the Minnesota-based clinic are impulsive behavior and aggression, while medical experts have also found that those who experience brain trauma-related symptoms often experience depression or apathy. Those who are believed to suffer from CTE often experience symptoms in two ways. Those in their 20s or 30s often deal with depression, anxiety, impulsive behavior or aggression, researchers at the Mayo Clinic found. The second form of the disease is known to cause symptoms including memory loss and difficulties thinking, which often affects older patients around age 60. Cantu said that given the severity of CTE, the disease tends to create hysteria. However, he noted that statistically, more than four years of high school football are needed to produce the level of trauma needed to place a person at significant risk of CTE. In most cases, Cantu said the average person who is diagnosed with the condition would need to play at least five years of football, including two at the high school level. However, there are limited cases of patients who did not play football beyond high school who are later diagnosed with the disease, he said. Cantu warned, however, that the 2023 study only represents a limited sample size and said that CTE is diagnosed in more boxers than those who played football. In many cases, repeated blows to the head can cause traumatic brain injury, Cantu said. But generally, one would need to sustain thousands of blows to the head to lead to CTE, which involves a progressive, relentless downhill course in brain health, he added. Warning signs for patients experiencing brain trauma include mood changes, the onset of anxiety or depression or reacting to circumstances in ways one normally would not, the doctor said. Anyone experiencing such feelings should seek professional help to be treated before feelings of hopelessness can contribute to events like Monday's deadly shooting. 'Something awful was done because a person thought they had CTE,' Cantu told NewsNation. 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Yahoo
5 days ago
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'How do you function': Parents talk of the death of their son in Green Memorial Day parade
At a memorial garden dedicated to children who died, Daniel and Jennifer Schultz of North Canton talked July 29 about the loss of their 13-year-old son, Matthew Schultz. Matthew died May 26 after falling off a parade trailer during the Green Memorial Day parade. The memorial stone for Matthew at Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Green won't tell you the tragic details of the accident, or the painful details of his family's recovery. It's a story of grief and faith, family and community, whispered by every stone engraved for a child who died far too young. In the background, the sounds of children playing on a nearby field filtered through as they spoke. Two months after Matthew fell, his parents said they are still processing, still looking for a return to a routine although things will never be the same again. "How do you survive? How do you function?" Jennifer said. One way to begin is to accept that Matthew, they said, is in a better place. "He wanted to be famous, but he also wanted to get to heaven and be with God," Daniel said. Star Wars, Legos and a smile for a friend Jennifer said Matthew was born with a condition called tetralogy of Fallot, comprised of four issues in the structure of the heart. 'He had four procedures throughout his life at the Cleveland Clinic," Daniel said. His last was Christmas Eve, five months before the parade. Prior to the procedure in December, Matthew was characteristically mischievous. "He liked to pull pranks," Daniel said. "(He was) joking around with us and his grandparents." Jennifer said Matthew loved martial arts, but was constrained in sports by his condition. Overexertion or contact sports like football were off the table. His mother said Matthew's condition also limited his stamina and he was affected by weather extremes. Still, he was a positive child who loved to play Star Wars and Legos, his father said. "If he knew a friend was having a hard day, he would reach out to his friend with a smile," he said. Matthew and his 9-year-old sister Sophia were close, and their relationship was a classic brother-sister one, Jennifer said. "They drove each other crazy, but were each other's best friends," she said. "He was a better person than me," his father said. 'I still ask God every day, "What is your will for us?" ' Daniel and Jennifer Schultz said nothing could prepare them for the event on May 26. They've had to take it step by step, relying on family, friends, their North Canton parish and the wider community for support. The Rev. David R. Durkee, pastor at Queen of Heaven, approached them early, and an anonymous donor provided for the memorial stone in the memory garden. At North Canton Middle School, Matthew's schoolmates plastered hundreds of Post-it notes, pictures and handwritten notes on his locker. A Gofundme raised more than $100,000 for the Schultz family. "It truly takes a village to raise a child, and we're fortunate to have that," Jennifer said. But the questions still come, the grief lingers. "It solidified my faith, but I still ask God every day, 'What is your will for us?' " Jennifer said. A passage from the Catholic Bible in Wisdom of Solomon, Chapter 4:12, provided some solace, Daniel said. It was read at Matthew's funeral. "But the righteous, even if they die early, will be at rest," the passage begins. 'His story is not over, yet' Two months after their world changed forever, Matthew's parents say they hope that time, counseling and memories of their son will help lay the path for a sense of normalcy. It helps that school for Matthew's sister starts in August, they said. "The new routine will start to come," Daniel said. They've been blessed with employers who permitted a leave of absence, they said. "Neither of us has been back to work yet," Daniel said. That will come with the new routine they're building day by day. That, and a sense that Matthew's presence is still with them. "His story is not over, yet," said his father. Leave a message for Alan Ashworth at 330-996-3859 or email him at aashworth@ Follow him on Twitter at @newsalanbeaconj or Facebook at This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Parents reflect on son, 13, who died in Green Memorial Day parade
Yahoo
6 days ago
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RFK Jr. reportedly eyeing overhaul of cancer screening task force
(NewsNation) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is facing criticism over a reported plan to fire all 16 members of a federal advisory panel that helps determine which cancer screenings and preventive services insurers must cover at no cost to patients. The group in question, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, provides evidence-based recommendations on screenings such as breast and colon cancer and plays a role in shaping coverage for millions of Americans. The plan was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, which cited sources claiming Kennedy believes the plane is 'too woke.' NewsNation has not independently confirmed the potential firings but has requested a comment from the Department of Health and Human Services. FDA eyes warning about antidepressants during pregnancy AMA: Panel plays a 'critical, nonpartisan' role in patient health The American Medical Association wrote a letter to Kennedy expressing 'deep concern' over the potential dismissals. The AMA said the panel plays a 'critical, nonpartisan role in guiding physicians' efforts to prevent disease and improve the health of patients.' The organization is urging Kennedy to retain the previously appointed members and 'ensure their important work can continue without interruption.' AMA President Dr. Bobby Mukkamala has pushed back on criticism of the panel as well as claims that it's driven by partisan ideology. 'So the question is, why was this taken apart?' Mukkamala said. 'What was the motivation to do that? What did we think that these folks were doing wrong, that then somebody else may be perceived as doing it better, for reasons that we have no idea what makes this person wrong and what makes this person right. And that's where we're concerned.' Not allergic to poison ivy? Don't be so sure Task force accused of being 'too woke' Kennedy's reported plan comes in the wake of an article in the American Conservative Magazine, which accused the task force of harboring left-wing ideology. Kennedy has since postponed the panel's meeting scheduled this month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
