Michael is a combat veteran who served nearly 10 years in the military through active duty and reserve service. He later continued his life of service as a deputy sheriff, working in corrections and law enforcement for nearly three decades. But after leaving the military, Michael found himself deeply changed by what he had experienced.
“When I got out of the military, I was a different person,” Michael shared. “I wasn’t the same compassionate person. I found myself disconnected from everybody and everything. I stopped doing the things I liked to do. I had no hobbies, no interests. I didn’t trust people.”
Michael eventually came to Quantum Leap Farm searching for relief, connection, and a way forward. His daughter brought him to the Farm for a visit, and within days, a last minute opening became available in a Warrior Mission: At Ease retreat. Quantum Leap Farm staff immediately thought of Michael.
“He was really in need and searching for something to bring him relief,” recalled Jenna Miller, QLF’s Program Director. “When the opening came up, I thought, he is supposed to be here.”
Through the retreat, Michael found a safe place to begin letting down the emotional armor he had carried for years. The horses helped him feel grounded, accepted, and present in the moment.
“When I looked into their eyes, I felt like they were talking to me and telling me, ‘It’s going to be okay. I’m here with you,’” Michael said.
For Michael, Quantum Leap Farm became more than a program. It became a place where he could breathe again, reconnect with himself, and choose healing.
“Without the experiences of Quantum Leap Farm, I don’t even know if I would be here,” Michael shared. “That’s the impact this place has had on me. It gave me the courage to sit here now and expose my vulnerability. Please come here with an open mind and be prepared to have your pack emptied.”
Watch more about Michael’s story HERE.