Warriors of Camp Southern Ground

MINDY APPLEWHITE

Mindy is a Warrior PATHH graduate and First Responder with over 30 years of service. This is her story.

My name is Mindy. I am a retired parole officer with over 30 years of service in law enforcement. I grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland until I was 17 and then moved to Richmond, VA. I entered law enforcement at 21, specializing in gang investigations, and I still work part-time with incarcerated gang members.

My husband is a retired gang detective. We both specialized in gangs, which is how we met. It’s my second marriage. I had almost the perfect life—a happy home with two grown daughters and three stepsons. And then, one day, it wasn’t.

My husband was struck with acute pancreatitis on June 4, 2023. He was in critical condition and out of three hospitals over 48 days, undergoing major surgery to remove his necrotic pancreas. Amid this, my eldest daughter, Lindsey, was killed by a reckless driver. She was thirty years old, a newlywed, and had just received her doctorate in nursing. She and her sister were born on the same day, two years apart. Lindsey was my mini-me; my kids, like most mothers, are my world. A convicted felon who shouldn’t have been driving hit Lindsey at a high rate of speed. She passed away in the same hospital where she worked. My perfect life suddenly went to hell. I had to navigate all this alone as my husband was still in the hospital.

A friend recommended I attend Warrior PATHH, and I attended in February of 2024. Warrior PATHH taught me that I don’t have to struggle alone and that others are struggling, too. It showed me that I am much stronger than I thought. Stephanie, Kyle, and the rest of the team were there for us 100 percent. While I still struggle and am still in therapy, I know I am a fighter, and Warrior PATHH showed me how to keep fighting.