If Dreams Were Lightning | One Veteran's Story | Clip

- (Paula) How are you doing Mac?

- Our patient population here, they're very proud and they will not go to the ER.

They die, - 'cause they don't have the money to pay it.

- They know they can't pay it.

- Well Mack, if you wanna come on back here and we'll get your, - [Mack] Okay.

- I wanna take a look at that.

You did a good service to our country.

But it took a toll on your body, didn't it?

- Yeah, it sure did.

I went to Vietnam 1968.

I was 19-year-old.

Seemed like some people got outta the going to the army on account of school.

But, I was in a technical school.

I helped put a lot of my buddies in body bags, and, I put a little kid in a body bag, that he was coming with a hand grenade, I guess.

And it blowed up on him.

I got to having problems with my eyes and with my heart and I had to go in the hospital.

They couldn't really find my nerves and I was shaking and everything.

And then later on, the veterans, I reckon sued the government because of Agent Orange.

We was out in the boonies when they'd spray, our backs would get soaking wet, you know.

(helicopter blades whapping) I was going to the VA and they kept telling me there wern't nothing wrong.

So I run into Paula, you know, her health wagon.

She called me back the next day, said, I gotta see you somewhere.

So I went to Kingsport and I had high aggressive prostate cancer, but the VA kept telling me, you're fine, don't worry about it.

Come back in six months.

But if I hadn't went to them, I probably wouldn't be here.

I think anybody, if you walk into a hospital anywhere in the United States, you should be treated free, because it's the United States, you know, it's the greatest country on earth.

But, they don't take care of our own people.

(gentle music)