In 2020, during Airborne School training, Sgt. Wayne Tichy sustained serious injuries including herniated disks and a labral tear in his shoulder. Like many servicemen, he did what he knew best and pushed through the pain. For years, Wayne continued to serve in the Army and take on carpentry and handyman work in civilian life, often at cost to his health, until the pain became too severe to ignore.

Over time, his injuries worsened. Imaging revealed spinal stenosis, a condition where the spinal canal narrows, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots. This causes severe, radiating neck and back pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the arms and legs, difficulty walking or standing for long periods, and loss of balance.

In August 2024, Wayne underwent a cervical fusion, hoping it would finally bring relief. Unfortunately, the surgery failed, and his pain only intensified.

In August 2025, doctors implanted a permanent spinal cord stimulator to help manage his chronic pain. This device sends electrical pulses to his spinal cord to disrupt pain signals before they reach the brain. It is often used as the last option for those with severe, chronic pain when other treatments, including surgery, have failed.

But even with the stimulator, Wayne continues to face overwhelming challenges:

These physical struggles have had a major impact on Wayne’s mental health and emotional well-being. Chronic pain and fatigue disrupt his sleep, limit his ability to socialize, and contribute to depression and anxiety. The ongoing cycle of pain and isolation has made daily life increasingly difficult.

Wayne’s journey is ongoing. He continues to live with chronic pain and faces additional surgeries ahead for both shoulders as well as his lower back. The impact on his livelihood has been profound. He has lost his digital printing business and has needed to file for bankruptcy after being unable to work. His VA disability and Social Security claims have been denied, leaving him without a stable income.

In an effort to stay afloat, Wayne has been liquidating his business equipment to cover essential living costs, medical bills, and housing expenses. He is also in the process of trying to keep his personal vehicle, which he relies on to attend doctor appointments and treatment sessions.

Through all of this, Wayne has shown incredible resilience and his story reflects the struggle many veterans face when service-related injuries impact every aspect of their lives, physically, emotionally, and financially.

This page was created to share Wayne’s journey and help raise awareness of the challenges he continues to face as he works toward stability and healing. Any donation will help Wayne cover essential living expenses, ongoing medical costs, and provide the stability he desperately needs while he continues his treatment and appeals process.