Fly Fishing Helps Heal Veterans

By Sharon Cliff

November 11th is Veteran’s Day, but for at least one vet, it’s not so different from any other day.

“To be honest, every day for me is Veterans Day and Memorial Day,” says Lew Duckwall. “The men and woman I’ve served with and those I lost I hold close to my heart.”

 Duckwall, a disabled veteran with 23 years of military service behind him, is the founder and president of North Texas Healing Waters, a local nonprofit affiliated with the national program Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing. Duckwall and his wife, Nicole, founded the fly fishing program to promote camaraderie and healing for wounded veterans.

“One of the biggest issues once you leave the military after serving overseas is the feeling of being alone. It can be devastating.”

Duckwall, who requested he be identified only as a veteran, says, “I feel a deep respect and love for all the services. In the end it’s not about being a Marine or a Soldier, an Air Man or a Sailor; It’s about being and American and helping those in need.”

Nicole Duckwall confirms this commitment. “Every single day he does something with Healing Waters. That’s just what he does, it’s his way of giving back.”

“I think it’s been his saving grace,” she continues, “When he can help someone else, he doesn’t have to think about his own issues. He’s pretty amazing, he serves his family, the community, and at church, and of course, veterans. And that’s his number one goal, the veterans.”

North Texas Healing Waters has helped 312 veterans since 2013. They host nine or more fishing trips a year, including an all-female wounded warrior outing each October. Their first all Viet Nam veteran outing is planned for December.

“It helps our veterans by giving them time in a peaceful setting away from their normal day to day activities,” says Duckwall, “It also teaches them a new skill, which builds confidence, and most importantly they get a chance to spend time with other vets that are struggling with the same issues. It builds trust within themselves towards other people.”

Duckwall is quick to offer, “If you know a vet who would benefit from this program, you’re more than welcome to contact me at [email protected]”

Duckwall, wounded in the Middle East, technically died twice on the operating table. He says that for many years he wondered why he lived, but now believes he was meant to help other struggling veterans.

“My faith is the foundation of what I do,” says Duckwall, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “I know that Heavenly Father expects us to reach out and help others. I believe helping others is the very reason I survived.”

Duckwall experienced the “magic that happens on the river” during a life changing trip with other wounded veterans to Sun Valley, Idaho in 2009. Prior to that, Duckwall says, he was angry, sullen and disruptive.

“I didn’t think I was capable of fly fishing again because of my physical limitations, but I learned otherwise in Idaho. I gained confidence, started to accept what had happened when I was wounded, and knew I needed to quit pouting, apologize to my wife and family, and become a member of society again.”

North Texas Healing Waters is funded by donations and relies on volunteers, about half of which are veterans. One of them, wounded Marine infantryman veteran Rod Zuniga, heads up the fly tying program.

“I went to Healing Waters because I felt I was more in a position to help other veterans,” says Zuniga. “Fly fishing I unfortunately didn’t get to discover until I was further along in the process of healing, but if it would have been available to me from the first day my process would have been accelerated.

“When warriors come back from combat deployment we’re thrown back into a fast paced society. Nothing gives us the time to sort and process what has happened to us. …Everyone wants to give us the parade; in reality most of us want to be left alone to figure this out.”

Zuniga says fly fishing helps. “It’s really hard to do personal rewiring in the day-to-day Dallas Metroplex,” says Zuniga, “It’s very important to get away.”

Which, incidentally, is just how Duckwall plans to celebrate Veteran’s Day.

“I will be going out to dinner with my wife, a 25 year Air Force Vet,” says Duckwall, “The two days prior I will be fishing the Lower Mountain Fork River.”

More information can be found at www.ntxhealingwaters.com

Originally published in The LEADER m.starlocalmedia.com

Photo Credit: Vinnie Ryan