B.C. veteran helps process PTSD by replicating ships he served on | 24CA News
A veteran of the Royal Canadian Navy has discovered an fascinating new passion in retirement: Yvon Lehoux is replicating seven of the ships he served on.
There aren’t kits to purchase for these fashions. Lehoux has to craft each little piece from scratch to recreate his vessels, with each tiny element providing the veteran a visit by way of time.
“I used to sit here after a meal at night just get the breeze from the ocean,” stated Lehoux pointing to a small field on the again of one of many ships.
Lehoux was simply 19 when he joined the Royal Canadian Navy, serving on destroyers that had been a part of a NATO patrol.
“We were chasing Russian submarines,” he informed Global’s This is BC.
But three many years of service took its toll on his psychological well being, and Lehoux nonetheless struggles with post-traumatic stress dysfunction.
“I had nightmares about the Navy three or four times a week,” he stated. “I had so many things I had to hide inside. These are all things that affect you long-term, and you don’t realize it.”
The work on the fashions has been a part of his remedy, and has delivered a number of highly effective outcomes.
“A sense of achievement. Confidence. And a sense of purpose,” Lehoux defined.
He plans to construct all seven ships he served on throughout his 30-year profession, matching the designs from official blueprints.
Lehoux has taken over the eating room desk as he builds these fashions. Next up for dialogue is the place to arrange the show.
“I was debating with my wife, where are we going to put all these ships when we’re done? I said well we’re just going to have to turn our house into a museum but I don’t think this is going to fly,” he stated with fun.
There’s not a variety of time to fret about that proper now, as a result of he’s laborious at work on what he thinks shall be his masterpiece: A recreation of HMCS Algonquin.
“Six-hundred-and-fifty hours to build this one,” Lehoux stated.
“But it’s all worth it.”
To contact Jay Durant with a narrative thought for This is BC, e mail him particulars and speak to data at thisisbc@globalnews.ca
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