DENVER — The holidays are a time of joy, but for the brave men and women who served, this time of year can be a struggle.
"Holidays are very hard for our vets," says veteran and founder of WarriorNow, Brian Johnson.
WarriorNow is an organization focusing on bringing together those who fought for our country. Thanksgiving Eve was no different.
"We wanted to create a safe space for all of our vets who either have no families around and not a place to go for Thanksgiving," Johnson said
Rayshaun Robinson is a veteran who attended the first annual "Vetsgiving".
"All of us coming together just makes a lot of stuff easier," Robinson said.
Robinson and more than two dozen veterans and their families broke bread, eating free food and sharing stories, no matter how difficult they might be.
"I lost my wife to cancer. Fourteen months after my wife passed, my daughter got killed. It’s been tough," said veteran Robert Lewis.
The rest of the year WarriorNow helps vets fight a new battle — not one fought in the ground, but in the mind: Mental illness.
The founder of the nonprofit said he hopes the event is the start of a new tradition.
"It just makes me feel better as a person that somebody out here is going through the same thing I’m going through," said Robinson.
If you want to be a part of the WarriorNow community or would like to donate click here.