Veteran in crisis after returning from Iraq gets second chance at fatherhood

In 2015 when James Brown returned home from serving in Iraq his life began to go downhill. After going through a divorce with his wife, James went through depression which led to an addiction to pain pills and being arrest a few times.

James told KSHB “I tried to commit suicide, then I got addicted to pain pills, which also got me in trouble with the law.” He said that he was also close to killing both himself and his kids.

James reached out to the VA for help, but just as he was about to receive help moving into a rehabilitation program he was put in jail for a year. With no one to care for his kids, Jayden and

Adrianna they were placed in a foster home.

“Just seeing them get in someone else’s car and waving goodbye was very painful, “James said.

That foster family was more than just a temporary home for his kids, they helped James on his journey by being there for him as well.

James received the Father-of-the-Year award at the Governor’s Conference in Kansas and is working as a parent advocate to help parents that are in the same situation he was in.