From a 9mm in His Mouth to Saving Veterans' Lives | Deke Letson's Journey

On this episode of 13 Minutes (The Podcast), B and Dave sit down with Army veteran Deke Letson. Waking up in a jail cell after a DUI was just the beginning of his downward spiral. It led to losing his job and a moment of ultimate despair with a 9mm pistol in his mouth. In that darkest moment, the thought of his children became his reason to live.

In this raw and powerful conversation, Deke opens up about the invisible wounds of war, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) he didn't know he had, a painful relationship with his alcoholic father, and the crushing loneliness that pushes so many men to the brink.

This is a profound story about breaking generational cycles, turning pain into purpose, and the incredible healing power of the outdoors. Deke shares how he went from the edge of suicide to founding Veterans Exploration Therapy (VET), a nonprofit that uses adventure to help veterans and their families reconnect and heal.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt hopeless, struggled to find their purpose, or wants to understand the battle many veterans face after returning home.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

(0:00) Introduction to Deke Letson's journey.

(5:15) The pain of an estranged relationship with an alcoholic father.

(8:30) Rock Bottom: The DUI that changed everything.(10:05) The 9mm Moment: Why he chose not to pull the trigger.

(18:45) The shocking TBI diagnosis that explained everything.

(22:10) How a class project became a life-saving nonprofit: The birth of VET.

(29:00) Using adventure therapy to push past fear and build trust.

(35:25) His kids saw him at his worst; now they see him as a role model.

(40:10) How you can support VET and save lives.

Learn More & Support:

Support Deke's Mission at VET: https://www.vetxtherapy.org

About the Host:

The host of the podcast is B HaLevi, a Logotherapist (meaning-centered therapy), men's coach, and co-founder of Men's Peer Groups. Drawing from his personal journey as a third-generation suicide survivor and his professional experience as a former rabbi, B is on a mission to help men discover, articulate, and live their "Why."

Learn More About Men's Peer Groups: https://www.menspeergroups.com/

B's Website: bhalevi.com

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