This is one of the most powerful conversations we have ever filmed.
Gretchen Catherwood is the mother of Lance Corporal Alec Catherwood, a Marine with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines (Darkhorse). Alec was killed in action on October 14, 2010, during one of the hardest stretches of the Afghanistan deployment. Twenty five Marines from 3/5 would never return home.
Gretchen took that loss and built something extraordinary: Darkhorse Lodge / a free healing retreat in Tennessee created specifically for combat veterans. A place where veterans can breathe again, reconnect, decompress, and be understood by people who have walked the same path.
In this episode, Gretchen opens up about
• Alec's story and the legacy of the 3/5 Marines
• Why combat veterans are different and why they need each other
• The moment she knew she had to dedicate her life to this mission
• The real reason veterans struggle to ask for help
• How community, quiet, and shared experience save lives
• Why Darkhorse Lodge exists for every combat veteran from every branch and every war
You'll also hear emotional stories about healing, guilt, grief, reunions, stereotypes, community, and the impact this place has already had on veterans from Vietnam to OIF/OEF.
Darkhorse Lodge is funded solely through donations, and every dollar helps them continue offering free stays, meals, fishing trips, and community to veterans who need it.
Learn more or support their mission at:
www.darkhorselodge.org
Filmed on location at Darkhorse Lodge in Springville, Tennessee.
For the combat veterans watching: you deserve this place. You deserve rest. You deserve community. And you deserve to come home in every meaning of the word.
If you or someone you know is a combat veteran who could benefit from a stay at Darkhorse Lodge, share this video.
Thank you for watching, supporting, and honoring the legacy of 3/5 Darkhorse. All love and respect to the families of the fallen.