The ceremony was not without a celebrity touch with two stars of prime time adding their perspective; Kevin McKidd from “Grey’s Anatomy” and Mark Valley from “Harry’s Law.” Valley is a graduate of West Point and a veteran of Operation Desert Storm. He thanked the volunteers and acknowledged the Hollywood Veterans group that had accompanied him to the build. He joked that he wasn’t sure what they would put him to work doing, since “there aren’t any jobs where I can stand around with my hands on my hips and supervise.”
McKidd, who received a PRISM Award for his portrayal of an Iraq veteran doctor who is dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, said he was there to do a little tile work and hopefully set an example for his children.
“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychiatric condition, not just for those who have been in combat,” he said. “The psychological damage that such experiences cause make it very challenging just to hold down a job or to have any kind of relationship with others.
“I’m one of the lucky ones. Thanks to the security provided by real-life soldiers, who put themselves in harm’s way every single day, I just go to work in Hollywood and pretend to be a doctor who suffers from this ailment. I hope the role I play in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in a small way brings some awareness to this huge mental health challenge that our veterans are dealing with.”
“If there’s anything we can do to serve those who served and given us so much, we have to do it. So when I was asked to be here, of course, I felt honored to help out,” he continued. “I’m here with my wife and kids, I hope as we build today, we can learn from each other and teach our kids that giving back should be a part of our lives and I just want to thank all the veterans for everything they’ve done.”
McKidd, who received a PRISM Award for his portrayal of an Iraq veteran doctor who is dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, said he was there to do a little tile work and hopefully set an example for his children.
“Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a psychiatric condition, not just for those who have been in combat,” he said. “The psychological damage that such experiences cause make it very challenging just to hold down a job or to have any kind of relationship with others.
“I’m one of the lucky ones. Thanks to the security provided by real-life soldiers, who put themselves in harm’s way every single day, I just go to work in Hollywood and pretend to be a doctor who suffers from this ailment. I hope the role I play in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ in a small way brings some awareness to this huge mental health challenge that our veterans are dealing with.”
“If there’s anything we can do to serve those who served and given us so much, we have to do it. So when I was asked to be here, of course, I felt honored to help out,” he continued. “I’m here with my wife and kids, I hope as we build today, we can learn from each other and teach our kids that giving back should be a part of our lives and I just want to thank all the veterans for everything they’ve done.”
