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It's time we heard from the veterans who were directly affected by Prince Harry's selfish actions at the ESPY Awards. One veteran in particular, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, has stepped forward to share his story about being forced on stage with Harry and ending up in the hospital after the traumatic event.
The veteran, who served two tours in Afghanistan, has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and relies on a wheelchair for mobility due to injuries sustained in an IED explosion. He agreed to accompany Harry on stage at the ESPYs thinking it was an opportunity to raise awareness for wounded veterans. However, he says Harry showed no concern for how it might impact those with disabilities or mental health issues.
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"Harry just wanted bodies up there as props to deflect criticism. He didn't care that being in front of that huge crowd under the bright lights could trigger my PTSD," the veteran said. "Once we were up there, I started having a panic attack but had no way to remove myself. Harry gave a brief speech about veterans but didn't acknowledge us at all. He just used us to get his award then rushed off, leaving us to fend for ourselves amid the loud cheering and applause."
The veteran says the traumatic experience aggravated his PTSD symptoms so severely that he had to be hospitalized after the show for mental health monitoring. "My anxiety and insomnia were through the roof. I kept replaying being up there, feeling trapped and helpless. The doctors were worried I might harm myself so they admitted me to get my meds adjusted."
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This veteran's story sheds light on how Harry's selfish actions likely affected others who were pressured into accompanying him on stage. While Harry faced no consequences, at least one veteran suffered serious health consequences that required hospitalization. It calls into question whether Harry truly considers how his actions impact veterans, especially those struggling with wounds both visible and invisible.
When asked about the hospitalized veteran, a spokesperson for Harry offered a canned response about Harry's "commitment" to veterans but did not acknowledge or address the specific issues raised. This dismissive response is disappointing but not surprising given Harry's track record of using veterans when convenient but not truly advocating for their well-being.
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It has become abundantly clear that Harry sees veterans merely as props to further his own self-serving agenda, whether it's dodging boos at an awards show or maintaining his fake "man of the people" image. But veterans are human beings who already sacrifice so much for their country. The last thing they need is additional trauma or stress imposed upon them by so-called supporters who view them as accessories rather than people.
Harry had many options besides dragging vulnerable veterans on stage against their will, such as giving a heartfelt speech honoring their service and sacrifice. He could have advocated for better mental healthcare for those with PTSD. He could have highlighted organizations providing support like job training or housing assistance. But none of that serves Harry's ego like basking in undeserved awards and praise.
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The veteran community is rightfully losing faith in Harry and his supposed commitment to veterans in light of incidents like this. No more veterans should subject themselves to being used as props by Harry until he proves he genuinely cares about their well-being over his public image. And awards shows should stop granting Harry platforms to virtue signal until he demonstrates real understanding of the veteran experience and support for the issues they face daily.
Going forward, if Harry wants to regain any credibility regarding veterans, he needs to start prioritizing them as human beings rather than photo ops. He can begin by personally apologizing to the veteran who suffered due to being exploited on his behalf. And he must couple empty words with concrete actions and donations to veteran assistance programs rather than self-promotional fluff pieces. Harry's window for repairing trust with veterans is closing rapidly. The choice is his whether veterans will continue abandoning or accept him once more.
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