Military Makeover host Montel Williams heads to Kansas City to sit down with Air Force veteran Matthew Moyers and his wife Rachel for a candid conversation about how a wounded veteran and his caregiving spouse cope with their shared traumas on a daily basis.
Though Matt experienced some of the happiest moments of his life during his time in the Air Force, he also carries seen and unseen wounds from his service. Matt suffers from psychological ailments such as PTSD, depression, and insomnia. His physical injuries include severe back trauma—four herniated discs—a bicep that wasn’t properly reattached after surgery, and “the shoulder of a seventy-five-year-old man,” as one doctor put it.
A Tech Sergeant, Matt’s specialty was as a munitions systems craftsman—in other words, he made bombs, an inherently dangerous job. He’s been impaled in the stomach and forearm with six-inch nails, and his back injuries make it difficult for him to walk or stand for extended periods.
After being deployed to Iraq in 2008, Matt’s unit and camp were often subjected to mortar attacks, which triggered his initial insomnia. When he returned to the U.S., Matt and Rachel suffered a number of financial and personal setbacks, including Matt’s struggle with depression. If it weren’t for Rachel and his children, Matt would not be here today.
It took Matt several attempts to get Rachel to go out on a date with him after they met in 2004. A year later, while Matt was stationed in Korea, Rachel came to visit Matt for Christmas and they decided to elope.
Now married thirteen years, the Moyerses have two children, Jackson (age 9) and Isabelle (age 5).
Stay tuned as Montel leads a wide-ranging discussion with the couple, discussing Rachel’s involvement with nonprofit organization Caregivers on the Homefront and how the Moyerses have adapted to their lives since Matt left the military.
The Military Makeover team has a big renovation to complete in under a week. At the family’s Missouri home, the kitchen needs a total overhaul, the living room coffee table is being held together by zip-ties, and the backyard is a hazard to the children.
The family would love to improve Matt’s sleep situation, perhaps by updating his man cave in the basement, a place he uses as a retreat and workspace. Matt loves to do wood burning artwork, a hobby he would love to turn into a career. Some sort of shelving unit to help display his pieces for sale would be useful. The entrance ways are often treacherous for Matt and they are looking for a solution to make it easier for him to come and go.
