OTTAWA – In an event Veterans Affairs officials are calling “unnerving and disturbing” sources say a man diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder after serving two tours of duty in Afghanistan, has suddenly – and without warning – been cared for by medical and psychiatric professionals using official government channels.
According to witnesses, Sgt. Kevin Lundgren – who family members say had recently become estranged from his wife and daughter – reportedly walked into a local veteran’s affairs office wielding an identification card and unloaded round after round of harrowing symptoms to unsuspecting staff.
“You try to plan for everything, but frankly, we didn’t think something like this could actually happen,” said Michel Doiron, Assistant Deputy Minister of Service Delivery at Veterans Affairs Canada.
“We are at a complete loss as to how this man was able to fail to fall through the myriad cracks in our system and receive the attention he needs and deserves before inflicting irreparable harm on himself and his loved ones.”
An investigation was launched this week to figure out how Sgt. Lundgren, who spent 2009 – 2011 on patrols in Kandahar province, was able to check himself into a healthcare facility and immediately start a treatment program, despite the seemingly countless others being turned away due to chronic lack of available bed space around the country.
“Things will never be the same again,” said Lundgren’s sister, Pamela.
“Sometimes he would get angry and unstable, and I worried he might do something horrible. I thought maybe he’d commit suicide, maybe he’d lash out. But this? My brother actually getting the support he needs? I never thought that it would end like this. Never.”
At press time, Sgt. Lundgren was reunited with his wife and daughter on the same day that 20 veterans committed suicide across North America.
