Pete Hegseth had just wrapped a veterans’ fundraiser in Pennsylvania and was on his way back to the airport when he noticed a beat-up sedan with its hazards flashing on the shoulder of the highway.
Normally, he might have called roadside assistance or kept driving. But something about the way the car sat—tilted, worn, and barely running—made him slow down. He pulled over.
A Veteran in Crisis: A Glimpse Into Medical and Mental Health Struggles. Inside was a man hunched over the steering wheel, face hidden under a ballcap that had once been olive drab. His jacket had a faded 101st Airborne patch. Pete tapped the window.
The man rolled it down. His eyes were glassy, tired. The Trunk That Told the Whole Story
They talked for a while. Frank was quiet at first. But something shifted when Pete mentioned he’d served, too. Frank opened up.
He’d been living in his car for nearly six months. After leaving the Army, he struggled with injuries, PTSD, and job loss—issues often complicated by the lack of comprehensive wellness programs and chronic illness management resources for former service members.
