My father John M. Lerza began serving in Vietnam shortly after his 18th birthday. He lost close friends, was injured in battle, saw people tortured and feared for his own life on a regular basis.  

In a note discovered after his recent death he wrote:

I was a normal, happy kid when I went to Nam and came back neurotic and having difficulty dealing with my life. I have never been the same and have never lived up to the potential my friends, family, etc expected I would. Also, when I arrived home I found I could not relate to my old, childhood friends and became a dysfunctional loner I have never been the same and my life was lost.

Sadly, when he sought help from the VA he was denied counseling support.  I wonder how his life could have been different if he was able to get counseling for his PTSD and other issues.  Would his life have been lost?  

This counseling fund seeks to take the “what if…” away for military veterans who have been similarly impacted but can’t afford counseling or to wait in the long line to get help through the VA and other agencies that support veterans.    

If you would like to make a donation, checks may be sent to: Integrated Therapy and Recovery Inc 12030 Donner Pass Road, Suite 1-433 Truckee, CA 96161. Please include Veterans Fund in the memo line. All donations are tax deductible. If you are looking for other ways to donate, contact info@integratedtherapyandrecovery.org