"THANK ME FOR ME SERVICE"
By Chris Sparks
“The room Stephen and I shared was more than just a place to sleep. It was a shrine to success, lined with trophies and plaques that gleamed under the afternoon light filtering through the bed sheet that hung over our window. Each accolade, every framed certificate, stood as a testament to what we had accomplished—or perhaps, what our family needed to believe we were accomplishing. It was as if the room itself whispered, See, things are good. Things are right. My mom needed those whispers. If everyone else said it—if there were medals and honors to prove it—then surely, something was going right. It was her way of convincing herself that amidst all the turmoil, she was doing something right.”
Thank Me For My Service is a raw and introspective memoir by Chris Sparks, chronicling one man’s journey through military service, trauma, and the mental health system that nearly failed him. As a veteran misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder and suffering from serotonin syndrome, Sparks pulls back the curtain on his personal battles with medication, identity, and the relationships that shaped him.
With dark humor and unflinching honesty, Sparks reflects on how his experiences with trauma transformed him—both as a soldier and a man navigating life after service. From isolating himself in a hotel room to confronting a broken healthcare system, Sparks reveals the profound challenges of losing control over his mind and body, and his relentless quest to find peace.
Chris Sparks is an Army veteran, writer, and filmmaker whose work explores the complexities of trauma, resilience, and the search for grace. Sparks’s writing blends candid storytelling, sharp wit, and poignant reflections on family, mental health, and finding redemption in unexpected places.
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