How veterans with PTSD cope during Fourth of July fireworks

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Today is the Fourth of July, which means fireworks!

Though fireworks are fun for most, they can act as a trigger for some people — like veterans.

“You’re thinking ‘Okay what do I do in this situation?’ So you’re reverting back to your combat training, so your first thought is okay cover and respond,” said veteran Horace Everett.

Everett was a marine who served from 1987 to 1992. He said he’s currently on the path to healing with different therapies and leaning into his religion after struggling with PTSD.

“Part of my responsibilities as a man is I’m supposed to be the provider and protector of my family, but I can’t really provide if they’re uncertain of what I’m going to do and I can’t really protect them if they’re not certain if I’m always going to be where I’m supposed to be,” Everett said.

He says fireworks can sound like bombs or gunshots, which is what’s disarming. Everett doesn’t want people to get the wrong idea — he thinks people should celebrate and enjoy Independence Day.

Nick Stefanovic, the director of Monroe County Veteran Services, says veterans probably love the Fourth of July more than the average person.

“The veteran population can sometimes get this stigma as being kind of a broken population that we need to kind of cradle and we’re not that,” Stefanovic said. “We’re actually a very strong population, we’re adaptable.”

Stefanovic is also a Marine and served mostly in Afghanistan. He said a big help for veterans on the day is headphones, but Dr. April Aycock, the director of the county’s Office of Mental Health, says this goes beyond sound.

“The smell and the taste of that burning can definitely trigger a person, the loudness as well as the lighting associated with fireworks,” Dr. Aycock said.

With his coping skills in place, Everett says he plans to spend the day with family — and it’s all thanks to preparation.

“If it’s very important for you to understand where they are and it’s very important for you to be able to have — help them understand where they are, ‘You’re not back in Iraq.'”

For those who may struggle during the holiday, you can call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also create a plan and find more resources on the Monroe County Mental Health app.

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