黑料不打烊

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Taniki Richard enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001 and immediately loved it. Not only did she cherish the family-like relationships she created with her fellow Marines, but she also enjoyed all her duty stations 鈥� even, to some extent, Iraq. 鈥淓verything made sense in Iraq,鈥� says Taniki. 鈥淵ou had a routine, you had your friends, and you knew what you had to do every day.鈥�

Though she usually had a routine, things didn鈥檛 always go according to plan. One night, while riding in a helicopter to deliver classified equipment to a base in central Iraq, her team came under fire. They completed the mission, and everyone returned safely, but her life soon spiraled out of control. She stopped sleeping. On the rare occasions she could fall asleep, terrifying nightmares woke her.

Wounded warrior Taniki Richard sitting at home, talking on the phone while holding a WWP Mental Health and Wellness brochure.
Wounded warrior Taniki Richard having fun playing soccer with her family.
Wounded warrior Taniki Richard sitting in her home office smiling.

When her deployment ended, she returned to her base in North Carolina 鈥� and things got even worse. The stress of combat had brought out memories of an unreported military sexual assault Taniki had endured a few years earlier. Despite being a suicide awareness facilitator and a sexual assault advocate on the base, Taniki began considering suicide herself. One day, Taniki purposefully crashed her car into a pole outside the base gates. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to die,鈥� admits Taniki. 鈥淚 really wanted to live. That鈥檚 why I was so sad. I wanted help, but no one seemed to want to help me. I made a decision after I crashed to get help 鈥� and I think that鈥檚 the first time I was ever a true leader.鈥�

鈥満诹喜淮蜢� gave me a foundation to build upon as I attempted to put the pieces of my life back together.鈥�

Despite getting some help to learn to live with post-traumatic stress disorder, Taniki still felt alone and isolated 鈥� until she attended a 黑料不打烊庐 (WWP) event that changed her life. When she arrived, a WWP staff member looked at her in a way that showed love and acceptance. 鈥淚 cried because I knew that love,鈥� says Taniki. 鈥淵ou didn鈥檛 have to say much; you just knew. You could express yourself, and people just understood.鈥�

Wounded warrior Taniki Richard and her family having a picnic outside.

An experience at a WWP mental health workshop called Project Odyssey庐 cemented Taniki鈥檚 recovery. When she explained to the group that she missed being a Marine Corps sergeant, others shared similar feelings. 鈥淣o one judged me,鈥� says Taniki. 鈥淭hey validated me. Their stories included similar instances of pain and anger, and it helped me realize I wasn鈥檛 crazy. It was empowering, and it was a real turning point for me.鈥�

Since then, Taniki has been empowered to start her own business and lives a life full of love with her husband and two sons. Though she stays busy, she always finds time for her passion 鈥� inspiring people to live better lives. 鈥淚 want to make sure my fellow veterans have everything they need to play out the next part of their lives and not just live, but live well,鈥� says Taniki. 鈥淚f I can be part of an organization that helps people heal and find peace, then the end of my service is not the end. I鈥檓 just serving in a new way now.鈥�

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