06/24/2024
Our time here at Laughlin has come to an end and is bringing up a lot of emotions. We first arrived here in the winter of 2022. During that time my mental health had peaked at its worst since I had separated from the Air Force earlier that summer. As an imagery analyst in the Air Force, I assisted the MQ-9 Reaper (a remotely piloted aircraft) during the pullout of Afghanistan. My job was to report what I saw on the ground from the near real-time RPA video feed. I assisted in striking over a dozen enemy forces. Unfortunately, given the nature of the military withdrawal from the country, I witnessed even more deaths of US and allied forces. At the time we moved to Laughlin, I struggled with frequent/daily flashbacks, panic attacks, and a laundry list of symptoms I was not ready to air out. I had just received full disability for PTSD from a job that haunted me daily. I failed to understand what my purpose outside of the military was and knew I no longer wanted to be controlled by PTSD.
Re-entering the military life as a spouse and no longer a military member posed challenges I could have never imagined. I spent my first several months at Laughlin healing and trying to find a way forward. During this time the idea of Mightea was born. I was convinced I could no longer go after a “traditional” career given the challenges my mental health would present in the workplace. My loving husband recommended I turn my love for tea into a business. I became obsessed with this idea. When I opened on base a year ago next week I could have never imagined the support Mightea would receive. Support that endlessly grew over the past year.
Laughlin, I love you. As I write this through tears, I am reminded of how you have forever changed me. You helped spark purpose, belonging, and a feeling of acceptance all of which I desperately needed. You have given me hope for my future. You have gifted me the most amazing lifelong friends. You have turned my husband into a passionate pilot that I couldn’t be more proud of. You allowed me to build my business, giving me the most supportive customers I could ever ask for. I couldn’t be more thankful for my time here. Although it’s time for my next chapter, Laughlin, you will forever be one of my favorite parts of my story.
