Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach - Mikal Vega, a 22 year Navy SEAL Chief retired, visits Coast Guard Base LA/LB as part of American300’s Never Quit Series this week.
After getting blown up and torn up countless times over the years, Chief Mikal Vega, finally got around to coming clean with the Navy reference his injuries.
The result, he found himself swimming in prescription opioids amongst other medications to combat his debilitating back pain, headaches and sleepless nights.
It wasn’t long before Mikal was a walking zombie.
“I was killing myself slowly and the crazy thing was that because the drugs were making me numb I didn’t even realize it.” says Mikal, adding, “throw in booze and the numbness got even crazier.”
With the help of a teammate, Mikal reached out to a rolfing message therapist along with an acupuncturist to combat the pain that his pharma-booze cocktails couldn’t even touch.
Over time, these non-pharmaceutical modalities starting winning out and Mikal broke his his cycle of drug dependency and isolation. It was during this transition that he was introduced to Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan. Together with his deep alignment massage and acupuncture routines Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini teachings saved his life.
It also formed the basis for a therapy methodology which Mikal now shares through his non-profit foundation ‘Vital Warrior’, which combines several modalities of non-pharmaceutical treatments with active mentoring to assist veterans in need of relief.
“When Mikal, retired at 22 years of duty as a E.O.D. technician and Navy S.E.A.L. he couldn't have imagined that 22 would become the number of veterans who throw in the towel on life daily as a result of pain and suffering,” says Rob Powers, founder of American300’s Never Quit Series, adding, “Mikal was on the slippery slope, but found a way out - his story is one that everyone should hear.”
Today, Mikal is an accomplished Hollywood actor, consultant and husband and father who has dedicated himself to helping fellow veterans through his foundation Vital Warrior.
For more on Mikal’s program please visit: www.vitalwarrior.org
American300 is an all volunteer 501c3 nonprofit with a mission of supporting our Department of Defense, Department of State and Homeland Security - more at: www.american300.org
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