Little Rock native Jacob Purvis joined the Air Force in 2003. He served for six years as a Pararescueman. “I went on missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa; I had a great time.”
Upon leaving the military, he worked as a medic and did search and rescue for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement. He received a degree in Health Care Management in 2011. “In 2013, I developed a chemical dependency issue. I got clean January 2016 and after two years of sobriety became a firefighter. I stayed clean for six years But when my dad died, I relapsed.”
Mr. Purvis entered a relationship shortly after his father died, and got clean when his girlfriend became pregnant. “I have twins- a boy and a girl. I was sober while my girlfriend was pregnant but it didn’t last. After I began using again, I began having drug-induced psychotic breaks, I didn’t care about anything. I resigned from the fire department. My girlfriend and I went into couples counseling through the VA, but we split up. We had bought a house we couldn’t really afford and because I had relapsed, a court-order prevented my return home. I ended up coming to St. Francis House. The VA has been very generous with therapy for PTSD and getting me here; I’m taking them up on all of it.”
Mr. Purvis is continuing to work on his mental health and sobriety, and looking for work. He helps out at St. Francis House when needed, and when not in groups or other activities, Mr. Purvis can be found swimming and working out. “I’m trying to figure out the next chapter. I like active jobs, but because of my history, I can’t go back to firefighting. I’ve always wanted to fly, but I don’t know if that’s a possibility any more. I love sky diving and would love to become an instructor. I’m not sure what’s really possible right now, but I’m working on it.”