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Sgt. Nicholas Horner

Help Horner

This website is dedicated to helping Sgt. Nicholas Horner and all other soldiers who are slipping through the cracks of our military system. This story is a tragedy from all angles and our mission is to show you Sgt. Horner's.

After 3 deployments to Iraq, Nick, a highly decorated war veteran, came back a changed man. He was officially diagnosed with PTSD yet he had to fight to get any kind of treatment for it. Sadly, many of our soldiers are not getting the mental help that they desperately need. Doctors in the military are being told not to diagnose PTSD in an effort to deny our soldiers benefits. Because of this, soldiers are being released back into society with severe problems. In Nick's case, he knew that he needed help and he actively sought help. However, he was told he simply had an anxiety disorder. Yet this was so severe that the army discharged him early, even sending him home from Iraq.

This is what can happen when a soldier does not get the help they deserve:

A fellow soldier said the man suspected of killing two people Monday suffered from flashbacks and was in "combat mode."Nicholas Horner, 28, is charged in connection with the shooting deaths of two people in Altoona, a high school student working at a Subway restaurant and a man who was out getting his mail.

Horner, an Iraq War veteran, was living in Altoona and is a 1999 graduate of Conemaugh Valley High School in Cambria County.

A fellow soldier said he has been friends with the suspect since 2006. He said Horner was a "family guy" who loved his wife and was a proud father.On video from his MySpace.com page, Horner wrote about being back in Johnstown after three tours in Iraq. Horner said, "I think the Army may have broke me. I'm getting out on anxiety disorder, PTSD, but the doctors don't want to call it that."

Horner's friends said that during Horner's third trip overseas, he called to talk about flashbacks he was having from his first two tours. The friend said he knew the situation was bad when other soldiers in Iraq started calling him as well."A buddy of his that's a squad leader called me one time and said 'Your boy isn't doing too good over here.' They had to take his weapon a couple of times because he almost opened fire on what he thought was threats," the friend said.Horner's friend also said the next time he saw him in person, he noticed a drastic difference in his personality.

He said when he heard about the shootings at the Subway restaurant, he knew right away that Horner had gone into combat mode."I saw the newscast and then I read the story. Right away I identified that Nick was doing what he was trained to do. He did a rear-door entry. Unfortunately the gentleman he ran into at the park must have been in some sort of zone and posed a threat. That's probably why he tried to take him out," the friend said.

While the military has helped many and provides services to a lot of vets some still slip through the cracks. This clearly shows how the army failed to help Nick. It also shows that they were well aware of his problems. Yet, why then, did they refuse to treat him for PTSD? Now Nick is in jail awaiting trial for a crime he cannot even remember committing. Earlier that day, Nick was seen at a bowling alley. Some have speculated it was the crashing noises that threw him into a flashback. We may never know exactly why this tragedy occurred but what we can do is prevent it from happening again.

Stay up to date by following the Help Horner Blog. Check it often for updates.

If you would like to help out, please make a small donation. All money collected will go to help Sgt. Horner's wife and family.

”Nick has always been someone anyone could turn to in a time in need. I could only hope that people could know true friendship like I know it with Nick. .. Things like this are happening at such an alarming rate that it is frightening. It is also sobering and should awaken all of us to our own call of duty to help those who have made it possible for us to sleep easy at night.”

Grateful, safe, civilian, friend and brother forever to SGT Nick Horner,
Tim Fitzpatrick

The Army has failed my brother and the whole Altoona and Johnstown area. We thought the Army was taking care of his mental problems, we were wrong...They were only concerned about how much money they would loose if they had to treat him and all the other soldier that have PTSD!!! This a crime and we need to prevent this from happening again. Contact your congress men and women stand up and help us prevent this from ever happening again.

Dawn J, Nick's Sister

My heart goes out to the families of the April 6th Subway shooting victims. I cannot even begin to imagine what they are going through. We can't ignore the fact, though, that this tragedy began when Nick Horner returned from war and was unable to receive the mental health that he needed. This was not for a lack of trying. Nick knew that he needed help and tried time and time again to find it. Unfortunately, his efforts were unsuccessful and many families, including Nick's, are now suffering greatly. I know Nick as a kind person, would do anything for his friends and family. Nick is a happy, fun-loving person, somewhat of a child at heart. Nick is not a violent person and I do not believe for a second that Nick knew what he was doing on April 6th. If anything good could come out of this tragedy, it would be that we all demand better care for our troops as they come home from war. Everyone tends to focus on the physical problems troops face, but we need to also focus on the emotional aspects, as they can cause the most damage.

Trisha B.

I wanted to write and share my thoughts of Nick. I am his ex mother-in-law and I love him like I love my own son. He is a good kind man who would never hurt anyone intentionally. He is the father of two of my grandchildren and I would trust him with my life. I don't know what happened that night in the Subway but I do know that was not Nick. I am always going to love him and have faith in him and I pray things work out for his best interest. Love you always Nick!!

MayMay

”We played catch, had bonfires, they hosted football parties, and we got along great. When I hung out with Nick alone, the time spent usually consisted of good times and great oldies… He didn’t like to talk often about what all happened in Iraq. He was scared and weakened by the horrors that taunted him.… This wasn’t Nick Horner. This wasn’t the loving dad, faithful husband, and close friend that I knew.”

Loving friend of Nick Horner and family,

S.B.

”I think this is sad to see a veteran of 3 tours to Iraq treated the way he has been. My heart goes out to the families of the people that were affected by this tragedy … I knew him before and after the last tour to Iraq and when he came home this last time he just wasn’t the same.”

S.D.

”To whoever this may concern, I'm begging for mercy for Nick Horner …(I) spent literally every day with him, and seen with my own two eyes how he suffered with his medication, and night terrors from his merciless tours in Iraq …On Nicks behalf I want to say what an outgoing fun loving young person (he was) that I adored like a son."

Yours truly,

J. D. G

We are grateful for the outpouring of support from our friends throughout the nation. Thank you all for your support and well wishes.