For Darren Strapp, life has always been about serving others, first as a Navy corpsman attached to the Marine Corps, and later as a firefighter in Raleigh, North Carolina. Now 54, Darren looks back on his journey not just through deployments and emergency calls, but through deep personal battles and a return to the steady ground he now walks with the help of Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas.
Born in Alaska and raised in Colorado, Darren grew up in a large, close-knit Irish Catholic family. His childhood was rooted in love, discipline, and the great outdoors.
“We were raised to work hard, chopping firewood, doing chores, and to lean on each other.” – Darren
Darren joined the Navy at 18, becoming a corpsman, providing medical support on the front lines alongside the Marines.
“I’ve seen things most people never will, and while those memories stay with me, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. I’d do it all over again.” – Darren
He served for nine years, forming bonds so strong with his fellow service members that to this day, they are like family.
“We still talk. We show up for each other’s weddings, baptisms, and everything else. That brotherhood is something I’ll never forget.” – Darren
After the military, Darren pursued another career rooted in service: firefighting. He worked for 20 proud years with the Raleigh Fire Department.
But underneath the surface, things weren’t easy. Years of witnessing trauma, first on the battlefield, then in emergency response, caught up with him. As his children grew older and life quieted down, the silence brought nightmares, depression, and the overwhelming weight of PTSD.
“I couldn’t function. I had a college degree, a career, but I was falling apart. I ended up drinking heavily, I left the country for a while… I just needed something to click. I didn’t know how I’d become this guy.” – Darren
Eventually, Darren hit rock bottom. He was hospitalized, financially depleted, and at a loss. That’s when a VA hospital social worker connected him to the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program at Volunteers of America.
“That changed everything. VOACC gave me time, compassion, and breathing room to restart. They paid for six months of rent and even brought me pots, pans, and basic things to make life feel normal again. I didn’t even ask. They just cared.” – Darren
Through the guidance of his case manager, Alton, Darren began to rebuild.
“He stayed on top of everything. It wasn’t just help. It was support with dignity. That made all the difference.” – Darren
Today, Darren is housed and on track towards stability. He’s grounded in faith, grateful for every step forward, and making chicken pot pie from scratch in his own kitchen.
“After 20 years in the fire department, I know my way around a grill or an oven. That pot pie fed me for four days!” – Darren
And while Darren’s journey towards complete independence isn’t over, he is more confident than he has ever been.
“I’m not quite where I want to be yet. But I’m getting close with VOACC’s help. And I’m thankful every day.” – Darren
To learn more about how Volunteers of America Chesapeake & Carolinas supports veterans like Darren through our SSVF North Carolina program, visit:
www.voachesapeake.org/ssvfrockymount