Hope Beyond The War

Alex’s story is one of heartbreak turned into hope, of wounds turned into healing, and of a life once in freefall now lifted by the grace of God. 

Growing up in the Florida Panhandle, Alex dreamed of serving his country. Right after high school, he joined the U.S. Army as an airborne infantryman, deploying to Iraq in 2003. What he came home with were not visible scars, but invisible ones—deep wounds of the soul that would follow him for years. In 2004, while stationed in Verona, Italy, Alex met Venusja, the woman who would one day be his wife. But before they could build a life together, Alex was sent into combat again—this time to Afghanistan in 2005. 

For the next decade, the war never really ended for Alex. The grip of Post-traumatic stress disorder was relentless, and his pain drove him into the darkness of addiction. His marriage hung by a thread. His hope was nearly gone. But in the middle of that darkness, God was still writing Alex’s story. 

Venusja heard about Camp Hope—a ministry for veterans struggling with combat trauma—and pleaded with Alex to go. In 2018, she made the bold decision to move to Houston, believing that a fresh start could save her husband’s life. With the support of a courageous judge, the Florida Department of Justice, and the unwavering love of his wife, Alex walked through the gates of Camp Hope in 2019. 

There, God began the work of restoration. As Alex completed the program, he prayed for direction—and God immediately opened a door. He was offered a job as a driver for Camp Hope, and over time, his hard work, humility, and renewed faith led him into leadership as Program Director. Today, Alex is a husband, a father, and a man on mission to help other veterans find the same healing he received. 

When you give, you make stories like Alex’s possible. Your generosity helps bring the hope of Christ to the hurting, the broken, and the forgotten—turning despair into purpose and pain into new life.