Underwater Relief: Scuba Program Becomes Lifeline for Veterans

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For veterans coping with the aftermath of service, the WAVES Project provides a form of therapy - scuba diving. Army Veteran Jeff Pickard is among those who have found peace in the project's underwater sanctuary.

"It's so therapeutic being in the water, it's indescribable," Pickard said.

Pickard, a father of five is a Purple Heart recipient. He sustained a life-changing shoulder injury in Iraq in 2010, discovered that diving offered relief from the chronic pain that even medication couldn't quell.

"When I go scuba diving, I'm weightless. I'm relaxed and when I'm relaxed I'm comfortable, I'm not in any pain," he said.

The Wounded American Veterans Experience Scuba (WAVES) Project not only aids in physical healing but also offers mental and emotional benefits. Pickard's own journey to recovery has inspired him to bring the project to Houston, where he teaches scuba to fellow veterans, witnessing their transformation.

"When I teach the classes for veterans, I see them, they're all, you know, they're grumpy. We're all grumpy veterans and everything. And when they're going through the program and they're getting in the water, I see a smile come out."