Homeless to Hollywood

It sounds like a dream, but it’s exactly what happened to Army Veteran Eric Reeder, whose talent and charisma were noticed by writer and director Bo Brinkman during the filming of Gettysburg 1863. Eric was selected to play the part of the revered Pennsylvanian, Thaddeus Stevens, a principled reformer of the nineteenth century. According to the National Endowment for the Humanities, Thaddeus Stevens was an ardent abolitionist and the only member at the Pennsylvania Convention of 1837 to vote against amendments designed to exclude black people from voting.

Almost immediately after being cast, Eric called his VA social worker Mike Pasinski, LCSW of the VA Lebanon Healthcare System. He said he made the call, “after all Mike and I went through together. I needed to share my excitement with Mike and celebrate my success with him. Mike was there with me through it all - I wouldn’t have survived without him.” Six years ago, Eric was going through some difficult life circumstances and was referred by the Adams County Veterans Affairs Office to the VA Lebanon’s Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) team. Eric had never been to the VA and was unaware that he was eligible for VA services. When it was determined that he qualified for VA’s HUD VASH housing program, he began working with Mike who assisted him in securing housing, obtaining dental care, managing his bills, and repairing his vehicle. Mike also took Eric to a standdown event at the Harrisburg Farm Show sponsored by the VA Lebanon. Eric remembers obtaining a phone, towels, and toiletries.

When Eric reflects upon his life before he met Mike, he recalls feeling hopeless, depressed, and distressed.  He spent days lying on the floor only getting up to use the bathroom or to feed his dog Lily. According to Eric, Lily was worried, so “she refused to leave my side.” Eric stresses that Mike is important to him not just because of the “things” he did for him, but because their conversations were therapeutic. He said, “I feel like Mike is a friend.” As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Mike has mastered the art of setting professional boundaries, while maintaining a friendly and approachable demeanor, creating a strong rapport with the client. Eric states that working with Mike, helped him to regain “a sense of purpose”. Back on his feet, Eric found a job working for one of the ghost tours companies in Gettysburg. He continues leading these tours when he’s not acting.

Eric is also grateful to Mike for referring him to VA Whole Health services. These services focus on well-being and empowering Veterans with tools for self-care. “I worked with LCSW Yasmin Brown,” he said referring to this VA service, “and she taught me guided imagery and mindfulness. I started to feel better - Yasmin really helped me.”

Enamored with history and re-enacting since his teenage years, Eric’s excitement about Gettysburg 1863 is both visible and audible. His wish for Gettysburg 1863 is that, “everyone will love this movie”. He explains that rather than being about the famous battle, Gettysburg 1863 is unique in its focus on the aftermath of the battle and those who helped pick up the pieces. The film does a superb job of telling the story of what it was like for the people and for the community after the three history altering days. Since the filming of Gettysburg 1863, Eric relates that he has felt a stronger connection to his community. It really was a dream for the former enlisted soldier to take part in this movie and history project, but it’s a beginning, not an ending. As Eric is learning, receiving care at the VA and acting in Gettysburg 1863 is opening doors he never knew existed.