At SHARE, Nick Slack 'Finally Felt At Peace'

Nate Slack

Nate Slack spent 20 years in the U.S. Coast Guard as a fast boat operator and a federal boarding officer. He conducted fast boat operations and was stationed in New York during 9/11and was directly involved in several surge operations in and around the harbor. He spent three years as a part of a tactical team where all of their operations were high speed, including escorting nuclear submarines off shore. 

He now believes the “wave slamming” from the boats traveling at high speed over the ocean caused multiple health problems, though he didn’t know it at the time. 

Nate started noticing his symptoms in 2006 – intense migraines, dizziness, confusion, light sensitivity, hypervigilance, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideations, and an unhealthy relationship with substances. Those symptoms worsened and grew to include vision problems, trouble sleeping, and irritability. He was also having difficulty regulating his emotions. Doctors treated his symptoms but could not identify the cause. 

He began to lose hope that things would improve. Therapy helped, but only to a point. 

“I felt so alone,” says Nate, who retired from the military in 2020. “I didn’t feel like there was any hope. It seemed like there was something wrong with me that couldn’t be fixed.” 

Then a friend sent him an article from the Avalon Action Alliance about other fast boat operators experiencing the same symptoms. He shared the article with his neurologist, who diagnosed a traumatic brain injury. He also contacted Avalon and learned about Shepherd Center’s SHARE Military Initiative. 

He came to Shepherd Center on Dec. 29, 2025. Right away, he knew he was in the right place. 

“Seeing the care in my doctor’s eyes made me feel that I was not alone,” Nate says. “I finally felt at peace, knowing I was going to get help.” 

Through cognitive therapy, Nate learned to manage his emotions, and he began taking medication for depression and anxiety. He also worked on sharpening his memory, improving his balance, and easing the chronic pain he was experiencing. 

He drew strength from his fellow veterans in SHARE. “I know now that the things I’m feeling are normal,” he says. “We have all felt that way in different ways and at different times. They are very inspiring to me.” 

Nate graduated from SHARE in March in a much better place and says he is stepping into a new chapter of healing. He’s living on the coast in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with his family and works as a freelance boat captain. He is extremely grateful for the care he received at SHARE. 

“Those therapists and clinicians are truly saving lives,” Nate says. “They care about the clients who walk through the door. You can feel it in that program.” 

Written by Sara Baxter