In a video published by the non-profit Operation Warrior Shield, actress Scarlett Johansson highlights the importance of treating veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Johansson also encourages donations to fund the activities of the organization which helps veterans find jobs and housing and heals their invisible wounds of war by teaching them Transcendental Meditation.
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In the video, Scartlett Johansson shares a personal story about her grand uncle, one of the last soldiers to die in the Second World War.
“My grandfather’s brother, Philip, was a P-51 pilot in WW II,” Johansson says.
“He flew, in the same esquadron than Jerry Yellin, to Iwo Jima, Japan. On August 14th, after two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, Jerry and Phil went on a mission attacking ground targets.
They had been told that they would never make it to their targets because a code word would be announced on route, telling them to return to base.
The code word never came.
Philip’s plane never returned from this mission. He was probably caught in the many storms they encountered and his plane went down.
When Jerry returned to the base, he was told the war had been over for three hours. So Philip was one of the last soldiers killed in combat in WW II.
My grand-uncle’s death and experiencing the emotionally difficult circumstances of war deeply affected Jerry. He suffered silently, living with hidden wounds in his mind and soul — until he discovered Transcendental Meditation.
Meditation is a powerful force and it allowed Jerry to find peace again.
Empowered by his healing, he wanted to bring the same to other veterans of war. He and his team have been working hard for the last 6 years to bring meditation to veterans as well as focussing on transition, health and wellness. They help veterans find jobs and end homelessness. We support their efforts,” Scarlett Johansson concludes.
