Hitting Bottom Leads to Helping Veterans Overcome Obstacles

Certified Peer Specialist and U.S. Air Force Veteran Heather King is reaping the rewards of hard work as she was named both Carl Vinson VA Medical Center and Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 7 Peer Specialist of the Year. And she’s only getting warmed up. King has been nominated to compete for VA’s Peer Specialist of the Year on a national level later this year.

It has not always been sunshine, rainbows, and positive social media posts for King. Her recent success since being hired in March 2020, comes from heartfelt experiences she shares with Veterans—because she’s already walked a mile in their shoes.

For years King struggled with addiction and mental health complications that led to multiple suicide attempts and inpatient treatment at mental health facilities. She received help from several treatment facilities to include Turning Point and Dublin VAMC’s domiciliary. On her last suicide attempt after abandoning all hope, King slipped into a coma.

Divine Intervention took place and while comatose, King spoke with her deceased grandmother who she loved and admired. She was told that her time on earth wasn’t finished and that she was needed to help others—that was her calling in life. King rose out of her coma with the compass her grandmother provided—she knew which way to go but it was up to King to create the map to change the azimuth in her life.

King, influenced by her grandmother’s words, set off on her ambitious expedition to help others overcome the challenges she hurdled for many years. She enrolled in several certified peer specialist areas of expertise to include mental health/Whole Health, addictive disease, trauma informed care, wellness recovery, motivational interviewing, attending courses to become a substance abuse addiction counselor. That was before King became a part of the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center Certified Peer Specialist team.

She immediately made an impact with Veterans while being noticed for her superior work ethic by her peers and superiors alike. This led to a nomination for competition as Carl Vinson VA Medical Center Certified Peer Support Specialist of the Year and she won. Then, she was nominated to compete at the VISN 7 Certified Peer Support Specialist of the Year board and came away victorious. The VISN board nominated King to VA’s National Certified Peer Support Specialist of the Year board where she was one of 13 nominees.

While she didn’t take home the top prize, King was highly praised by Dr. Patricia J. Sweeney, national director, Peer Support Services, from VA’s Central Office. She wrote to King, “Although you were not selected as the 2021 VHA National Peer Specialist of the Year, you should take great pleasure in knowing that your exemplary work has been recognized by colleagues in both your facility and your network and that you were nominated for this prestigious national award.”

Not only did King’s dedication to excellence get national recognition, but it’s a good bet also that her grandmother was looking down overjoyed with Heather taking full advantage on her new lease on life.