Dave Jenkins passed out while out for a run during his second deployment to Iraq in 2008. Doctors suspected bronchitis, but exposure to burn pits had reduced his lung capacity to 66%.
Over the next nine years it would decline to 30%. Dave and his wife, Ginger, moved from Ohio to Florida seeking better air. They found it, though PTSD and other physical limitations led to Dave withdrawing from the world.
But now, thanks to Hope For The Warriors granting his Warrior’s Wish, Dave and Ginger are kayaking up and down the canal behind their home, letting him interact with neighbors and enjoy nature.
Dave had separated from the active-duty Air Force in 1998. Not long after, friends in the Air National Guard told him about recent missions, and he emailed one to ask, “Can I come play?”
He joined the 332nd Expeditionary Wing in Balad, Iraq, in 2006. Burn pits were active then, he said. On his second trip to Balad, he noticed he had breathing problems and was sent home after he passed out.
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When his lung capacity dropped to 30%, the VA rated him 100% disabled. His doctors said that unless they found medication to slow the decline, he had about 10 years left to live. A reassessment for PTSD raised his rating to 170%.
“As time goes on with disabilities, you start losing motivation to do things,” he said. Ginger stopped working to take care of him.
One day he saw an interview on the news with a founder for Hope For The Warriors, prompting him to reach out.
“They’ve gone way further than I thought organizations would go for me,” he said.
Kady Luke, Warrior’s Wish program manager, encouraged Dave to apply. Hope For The Warriors doesn’t have a set number of wishes it grants each year; Dave was one of 12 severely injured veterans selected from 22 requests in 2023. Veterans can reapply but can only have one wish granted. Luke said the selection committee looks at how the wish will improve quality of life. Past recipients have received everything from family trips to amusement parks, hobby supplies such woodworking tools and exercise equipment.
The Jenkinses had tried a few different activities upon moving to Florida. Hiking didn’t really do it for them. They took morning walks, but the sidewalks could get too crowded.
“Not every person, period, but especially not every combat veteran wants to be around people,” said Ginger.
They had even considered renting an RV to drive to the Grand Canyon, but the cost was too prohibitive to do so more than once.
Then Dave remembered the freedom he felt while kayaking on a trip organized by Wounded Warrior Project. It hadn’t gone perfectly – Dave had just received his service dog, Freedom, and trying to get him on the kayak was “entertaining.” Dave and Ginger also have a canal behind their home.
A friend helped Dave research his options, and they found VooDoo’s adaptive kayaks. They have room for Freedom as well as a raised seat that not only is easier for Dave to get in and out of, but the seat supports his back. His granted wish also included a kayak for Ginger, as well as a trailer to transport them.
They get out about once a week. The paddling wears Dave out, but he feels better for having done it, he said. They can be neighborly, waving to whomever they pass on their route and picking up trash, or just enjoy nature.
The Jenkinses plan to explore other waterways in their area. But recently Dave’s also been more willing to venture out to where other people might be, like the local pool hall and or even going to popular grocery store Publix on a Saturday.
“It’s a baby step for me to get back into society,” Dave said.
Luke said she’s glad the kayaks are helping them that way.
“I love how they persevered through Dave’s injuries. They found a place in Florida that had low humidity that allowed him to breathe easier,” she said. “They’re really enjoying their time.”
Learn more about Warrior’s Wish and Hope For The Warriors’ other programs at the Hope For The Warriors website.
