Veteran David McCleery on Finding Strength Through Riverside’s Pathways Program

When Navy veteran David McCleery introduces himself, he doesn’t just share his name or military service. He often starts with Diesel, his loyal service dog, who has been instrumental in his mental health journey. “This is Diesel. He is my service dog for mental health,” McCleery explains. “I got him through a training facility in Manteno, named AVSDA. We train our own dogs, so that bond between us gets even stronger.”

McCleery, who served 14 years in the Navy as a Seabee before being medically discharged, has built his life around service; not just in the military, but also in his community. He is deeply involved in several veteran-focused organizations, including Buddy Check 22, Project Headspace and Timing, and Project SUN. He also co-chairs the Kankakee County Veterans Suicide Prevention Coalition, founded earlier this year.

“This is my passion,” he shares. “I started school for it. I got my bachelor’s through Liberty University in psychology of military resilience. I wanted to help others all my life. I started out as a paramedic, but when I hurt my back, I realized that wasn’t my true calling. When I switched over to psychology, it just stuck. It’s been a passion of mine ever since.”

Reaching a Breaking Point

Like many veterans, McCleery admits he carried the weight of his experiences alone for years. “As men veterans, we pack a lot of things away,” he says. “Everything that happens in life, traumas, incidents we just push aside. And that’s what I was doing.”

On August 18, 2023, that weight became too heavy. “I lost it all. I was fighting with myself to become one of the 22,” he recalls, referring to the average number of veterans lost to suicide each day. “It was very scary and difficult. When I cried out for help, we decided we’d go get help. I checked myself into Riverside, spent five days there, and while I was there they told me about Pathways.”

McCleery recalled the pivotal moment when he first walked into Riverside’s Pathways program: “The first person I met was Roger. That just set the whole tone for everything. It was amazing how warm and welcoming it was. That’s why I chose it.”

A Different Kind of Care

What stood out most to McCleery about Pathways wasn’t just the treatment itself but the way he was treated. “The staff definitely made you feel like you were a person,” he assures. “It wasn’t like treatment, so to speak. It was more like you were hanging out with people you got along with. They gave you the tools you needed to help with everything that was going on.”

Those tools remain a daily part of his life. “I use a lot of the stuff I got from Pathways. I still have all the flyers they gave us. I use them, I pass them out to other veterans, I’ve given them to my daughter. I preach it almost every day.”

One of his biggest breakthroughs came from a simple but powerful lesson: he couldn’t help others until he took care of himself. “Roger told me I can’t help others if I don’t make myself strong first,” McCleery notes. “He helped me realize I’m the foundation. If I crumble, everything else crumbles around me. That sunk in. I have to prioritize myself first.”

Breaking the Stigma

McCleery knows that stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to seeking help. He’s determined to challenge it, both in his personal outreach and through his community work.

“We need to end the stigma,” he emphasizes. “It’s not weakness. It’s not less than you to go get help. If you break your leg, you go to the hospital and get it fixed. If you don’t, it’s worse. It’s the same way with mental health. It’s not any different. Mental health is part of your whole body health, and without that, you are not whole.”

Looking Ahead

Today, McCleery has his sights set on new ways to support fellow veterans. His biggest dream is to establish a treatment facility designed specifically for veterans—one that offers care without the burden of high costs. “Not everybody can get VA pay or regular insurance,” he explains. “If we can get veterans into treatment facilities for either a reduced rate or free, it would help everybody. Because everybody needs help.”

He is also committed to honoring the memory of those he’s lost along the way. “One of the big things for me was survivor’s guilt. So I’m going out and doing things for them now. Naming events after them and keeping their names out there. That’s important to me.”

A Message of Hope

From his service in the Navy to his leadership in local veteran organizations, McCleery’s story reflects resilience, honesty, and hope. Through Pathways, he’s learned that prioritizing mental health is not only essential for himself but also for those he continues to help.

“It’s not weakness to ask for help,” he urges. “It’s strength.”

Click here for more information about Riverside Pathways Outpatient Care Services.