COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KDVR) — Army veteran Eric Yanes fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. But when he returned home, he faced the biggest battle of his life: a battle with addiction.

“Instead of facing the actions of trying to do better, my first instinct was to go back to the drug,” Yanes told FOX31.

He was abusing pain medication. The addiction left him jobless, homeless and hopeless.

“We lived in a trailer. I stopped paying my rent, and we got evicted,” he said.

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When his family was evicted and had nowhere else to go, he reached out to The Salvation Army in Colorado Springs late one Friday afternoon.

“So I call the front desk over here and this lady answers the phone. She’s like, look honey, there’s nothing we can do now. It’s almost 5 o’clock, but call back Monday. The lady says, we have a prayer board, I’m going to write a prayer for you. And I’m going to put it on my board, and then I’ll pray for you and your family. You know, for someone to just be that nice to me, it was just something that I needed,” Yanes said.

It was the start of a complete transition in his life.

He moved into The Salvation Army’s veterans transitional housing unit, and over the next few months, they helped him get a home and a job and take care of his growing family. And he finally found purpose again — the same purpose he had a few years earlier, when he heroically served in the military.

Serving Those Who Serve: Hero of the Month

Because of the life-altering changes he’s made, and his commitment to his family, community and country, Yanes has been named the FOX31 Serving Those Who Serve Hero of the Month for June 2024. In addition to a plaque, he receives a $500 Visa gift card from our Serving Those Who Serve sponsors at Ford and the Leo Hill Charitable Trust.

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Yanes knows he’s far from perfect and has a long way to go. But it’s hard not to be proud of just how far he’s already come. And there are more changes in store for his life: His wife is about to have another baby.

“I love my life now. I can truly say I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” Yanes said.

To nominate a veteran or active-duty service member for our Hero of the Month honors, visit the nomination page.

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