PTSD recovery

I met Tyler Waters when he first came to the NIPAS Emergency Services Team, a multi-jurisdictional SWAT team that serves the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.  I was on the Entry team and in a very short period of time I knew that Tyler would be joining me on that team.  Tyler had incredible skills and a quiet confidence that set him above others. 

It was soon after, Tyler did in fact join the Entry team and for years was a man that me and my teammates trusted with our lives and would have gladly given ours to him. 

Unfortunately, that relationship came to what I felt was an abrupt end.  For reasons Tyler couldn’t share, he had to leave the Team.  No amount of pleading could get him divulge what had happened so that perhaps we could keep him with us.   We have been missing him ever since that date in 2016. Tyler had spent a. short time on the team (2012-2016) but left an impact. 

Fast forward to early November 2018 when I read a heart wrenching Facebook posting from Tyler’s wife , Sydney.  Sydney finally revealed why Tyler had left the team. Tyler had been suffering in silence to all but his family from debilitating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD. 

Tyler was an Infantry Sgt in the United States Marines (2nd Battalion 4th Marines) and fought in Ramadi and the Hadith Triangle in Iraq. As a result of Tyler’s tours in Iraq, seeing some of the fiercest fighting and seeing unspeakable horrors occurring to his fellow Marines (https://youtu.be/3K9GlH2KlZw), Tyler was left with wounds for which he was unaware and that would eventually catastrophically alter his life. 

Tyler’s wife Sydney explained that Tyler became anxious and withdrawn when leaving for SWAT call outs. Tyler would often have disabling panic attacks causing  him to become sick and vomit. Tyler would have night terrors and panic attack just anticipating rhe next call out. 

Knowing full well that the triggers caused by the SWAT position was harming his family, himself and potentially putting his teammates at risk, Tyler left the team and went back to his normal duties as a Police Officer at the Mundelien Illinois Police Department.  The reasons remaining clouded as Tyler is the sole provide for their family of 5 and if Tyler’s condition were revealed there was a potential for him losing his employment 

Unfortunately, the stresses and tragedies experienced  by every day police work began to take its toll as well. The same panic arose in Tyler and numerous calls and texts were made to Sydney to have her assure him he wasn’t dying and his heart wasn’t going to explode. Excuse after excuse were made to Tyler’s employer as to why he wasn’t able to work as Tyler had nervous breakdowns where he was unable to deal with the triggers  on the job. 

At at one point Tyler had lost of 30 pounds and the friends and family that had become aware of the problem rallied to their assistance. 

Tyler began to see numerous doctors and had innumerable appointments to help him deal with the worsening symptoms of PTSD.  All the attempted therapies failed and often made the symptoms worse. 

After a call involving a death, Tyler called Sydney and truly thought he was dying. Tyler came home and it was decided that he would not fall into the paths of so many of his fellow Marines who had committed suicide and became addicted to drugs or alcohol.  Tyler would have to, despite the consequences, leave the law enforcement job he lioved. 

Tyler notified his police dept of his problems and advise he would have to leave. 

Tyler is currently using up the remainder of his benefit time at the Mundelein Police Dept.  As of early 2019, Tyler will be out of benefit time and his family will be without a paycheck or health insurance. The Waters family will be unable to pay for Tyler’s additional therapies not to mention the costs of a mortgage and that of supporting his wife and three young daughters.   

It is here I make my plea to you to assist in any way you can to help a man and his family who have suffered in ways most of us couldn’t comprehend. A man who has spent his young life defending our Nation, a man who stood shoulder to shoulder with his team in dangerous SWAT operations, a man who defended his community all while supporting a family while in the grips of an insidious and misunderstood mental illness   

Please donate what you can to assist Tyler and his family and give them hope for a future. Give them what they gave freely to us by being part of a military,SWAT. and police

Thank you very much for considering donating. Please get the word out and copy this link to your Facebook timeline. 


News story about Tyler and his wife’s
struggles