At the age of 19, Ty Knox made the courageous decision to serve his country. Stationed at Fort Hood, serving both active duty and the reserves, he completed his service and was honorably discharged as he went out into the world as an everyday civilian.
Though he was out of the military, the trauma he experienced while in it stayed with him. Causing social issues and internal battles that he couldn’t quite figure out. Ty was also diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, but neglected it simply because he didn’t truly understand what it meant and how it was going to affect his life. His constant negative thoughts loomed over him like a rain cloud; wherever he went, it followed.
Trying to navigate through his mental health issues, he still needed to find a new career as a civilian, so he began to venture out into various jobs to see if any would catch his interest. He finally found himself driving trucks in the oil fields of West Texas, earning around $80,000 annually.
Working the night shift with the other young drivers, along with his untreated mental health issues, Ty found himself seeking validation from others, putting himself in relationships simply for the comfort of having someone near. He was constantly in the party scenes and began using substances and alcohol to tune out what was inside his head.
“You find yourself blaming the world and having a victim mentality all while in and out of therapy, in and out of hospitals, and while trying to confront your mental health issues,” said Ty.
This continued until the global pandemic, when Ty decided to move back home to be closer to his family. While there, he met the love of his life, his now-wife, Jenna. To Ty, Jenna was a saving grace and helped him realize some things that were affecting his mental health – his own parents.
Ty had to navigate the world, trying so hard to fight for his place of belonging, even with his parents. “They weren’t very accepting of me, and I would always make exceptions and think…well, they don’t have to accept me; they still love me,” Ty reflected.
To escape his toxic situation with his family, Ty and his new wife decided to move back to Texas as quickly as possible and settle in the Greater Austin area. Ty was able to find a job before moving, but because of the state of the workforce, his wife struggled to find one, leaving them living off of one income.
Trying to sustain stability on one person’s salary was fine for the first month, but by the second month, the couple found themselves struggling to pay the rent. Ultimately, it ended with an eviction notice. In a panic, Ty and his wife tried everything they could to come up with the money to keep their home.
“I didn’t know what to do; I was freaking out trying to do whatever I could, trying to find any resources, selling furniture, reached out to 211, anything to figure out how to stay housed,” said Ty.
Ty was then directed to a few churches in Austin, where he was instructed to take the coordinated assessment. From there, he was put in contact with his case manager at Caritas of Austin for a meeting.
“We went over what was happening, my finances, the eviction notice I got…and they were just so willing to help,” Ty recalled. “I didn’t think things like these were possible or places like [Caritas] existed.”
Within the week of the meeting with Caritas, Ty and his wife were placed in housing. With the support of Caritas, Ty now strives to build a better life not only for himself but also for his wife. He is continuing to work toward his CDL and, hopefully, getting his career back, and sees nothing but good things. He is no longer in a victim mindset and is focusing on what he can control to ensure his future success.
He is also in dialectical behavior therapy to help with his BPD and is learning so much about his condition and what it entails. Looking toward the future, he looks forward to becoming a parent for the first time and now strives to ensure his financial situation is secure for his family.
Thanks to the support of people like you, our clients not only found a safe and stable home but have also regained hope for the future. With personalized services from Caritas of Austin, they’ve been able to rebuild their life, reconnect with their community, and look ahead with confidence.
It’s because of your generosity and commitment that we can continue providing homes and tailored support to those who have served our country. Every gift and act of kindness makes stories like this possible. Together, we are making Austin a place where everyone—especially our veterans—can thrive.
