ST. LOUIS — The Fourth of July is still a few days away, but people across St. Louis are already celebrating with fireworks.
And that’s exactly what some of America’s most patriotic citizens dread.
“I appreciate the holiday obviously being a service member, but it’s obviously a Catch 22,” Army veteran Greg Roeder said.
He has PTSD, and the sound of fireworks make him anxious.
“Surprise fireworks that go off that civilians have I have a problem with,” he said.
He says the noise can sometimes take him back to his tours of duty, where he faced “a lot of very deadly, very serious situations.”
He’s sharing his story to spread awareness and hope people think twice before they set off fireworks in their neighborhoods.
Roeder says if you know a veteran lives near you, give them a heads up before you use fireworks. If you don’t know if any veterans live near you, wrap up the fun by bedtime, so veterans can sleep peacefully.
