This week on Wellbeing, we speak with Mitchell Stern, a paramedic who received PTSD as a result of 9/11. Mitchell joined the EMS in 1974 and went on to have a decorated career in the paramedic field. Prior to 9/11, Mitchell was involved in responding to the 1990 Happy Land Fire and many other well-known New York accidents. It was for his efforts in his work that Mitchell got to meet the likes of Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela and Jimmy Carter. When the World Trade Centre collapsed on September the 11th 2001, Mitchell was assisting in an ambulance which was partially crushed by the wreckage. They were stuck inside the crushed vehicle for several minutes before being rescued. PTSD has been with Mitchell ever since that day and in this episode he explains how he lives with it.

In this episode, Mitchell talks about some of the confronting experiences he had in his career prior to 9/11, his experiences on September the 11th, how PTSD become a part of his life after 9/11, how he manages his PTSD, the support available for first responders with PTSD, and how he came to terms with his PTSD. 

"9/11 was just so overwhelming, it got to your core of your ability to live" - Mitchell Stern on this episode of Wellbeing

Tune in next week where we speak with a mother who has a daughter with PTSD.

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