United States Air Force Veteran Lamiea Ezell has always been ready to serve. She served nine years in the USAF before an explosion left her with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
"TBI is almost like PTSD times 10,” Ezell said. “It gives you an emotional imbalance. Most days you are fine. Some days you are triggered just like a lot of other PTSD veterans, but the trigger is harder to come down from."
That brain injury ended her military service. Ezell then turned to higher education and on Friday graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a master's degree in special education.
"I feel just as proud today as I did when I raised my right hand and joined the United States Air Force," Ezell said.
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Her journey of service to others continues now helping families like hers.
"I have two autistic children and they were my inspiration to get started," Ezell said.
She said she started the special education journey to understand her sons better.
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"I love being able to look at the world as we see in different colors, but I can look at the mind in different colors and I was able to let them tell me what their mind was trying to tell me," Ezell said.
Her passion to be of service is pushing her on a path to help other families like her family.
"I'm so excited to be a liaison, to bridge that gap of neurodiversity,” Ezell said. “To be that advocate for people who may not know where to go or they know where to go and they have this great information, but they don't know what to do with it. I want to be the bridge of neurotypical and neurodivergent."
