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WASHINGTON (AP) — A distinguished Special Forces soldier’s tragic death in a Cybertruck explosion on New Year’s Day has brought attention to the mental and emotional struggles many veterans face. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, confided in a former girlfriend, who worked as an Army nurse, that he endured profound pain and fatigue, symptoms often related to traumatic brain injury.
Livelsberger, a Green Beret, was highly decorated, with five Bronze Star awards, one of which was for valor in combat. Despite a commendable military career that included a newborn child introduced to the world the previous year, he grappled with the psychological consequences of his experiences, including having to take lives and witnessing the deaths of companions.
Although he generally kept his struggles private, sources reported that Livelsberger sought help for his depression through Army channels, highlighting the ongoing conversation around mental illness in the military.
Arritt, the former nurse with whom Livelsberger began a relationship in 2018, noted that their connection was grounded in understanding and support. The couple met via a dating app while both were stationed in Colorado Springs, and Arritt’s background working with traumatic brain injuries positioned her uniquely to identify some of the unseen challenges Livelsberger battled.
During her service at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany — the largest U.S. military medical facility in Europe — she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of TBIs, often caused by explosive devices. These injuries can result in long-term psychological effects that might not be immediately evident
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www.yahoo.com