Photo By Senior Airman Edward Hermsen | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jacob Westover, with the 153rd Wyoming Air National Guard...... read more read more
Cheyenne, Wyo. — Ever since Jacob Westover, a personnel specialist at the 153rd Force Support Squadron in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was a teenager, he knew he wanted to study psychology and become a social worker. During a class at the University of Wyoming, an interaction gave him the experience he needed to cement his interest in this career path.
During final presentations, his psychology class was tasked with individually presenting on something related to mental health. Many students presented on one they had personal experience with. Westover presented on mental health in the military, citing his own experience in the Air National Guard. Another student in his class presented on her epilepsy and how it affected her mental health. In her presentation, she shared that she often felt alienated from others because of it and that she was afraid to go out because she was worried about how others would react.
Westover sat next to this student before and she showed him how to call her mom if she ever had a seizure. It was clear to him that she struggled with the way epilepsy affected her life and that she felt like it was a burden to others.
After class concluded, Westover noticed that the student who presented on epilepsy and the professor of the class were talking. The professor was patting her on the shoulder while it looked like she was starting to cry. He kept looking over at the situation when he noticed her start to hyperventilate. Then her eyes rolled back and Westover immediately knew what was happening.
He moved quickly, picking her up with the help of the professor and laying her down to make sure she didn’t fall and get hurt. They asked the student if she wanted water, but it was clear she was disoriented. Westover recalled sitting next to her and how she told him what to do in this situation. He asked if he could use her phone to call her mom. When he called her, he learned that the student’s sister lived on campus, so he and his friend walked her to the bus stop, where her sister picked her up.
He still sees her around the campus, and every time she sees him, she thanks him. She told him that he was the first person to ever take action and do something while she had a seizure.
“Hopefully it could give her a little bit of hope in the future. There are people out there that can help you out, so don't isolate and limit your life,” Westover said.
This is the kind of impact Westover looks to have on others. He looks to give them hope and to help them through difficult times that they couldn’t navigate on their own.
| Date Taken: | 05.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2024 17:15 |
| Story ID: | 471679 |
| Location: | CHEYENNE, WYOMING, US |
| Web Views: | 191 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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