Danny Hirst, Then & Now!!
Picture on the left: This was taken about four years ago on Medal presentation day in Bentiu, South Sudan. I was serving as the BEG SSM (Bentui Engineer Group Squadron Sergeant Major).
Picture on the Right: This was taken about two months ago on a job in Melrose working for myself under the company name ‘Hirst Locksmiths’.
Sometimes I just sit and think how I got to where I am right now. I consider myself lucky to have got through 24 years of Military service, when many of my friends didn’t.
On the face of it, I was successful in the military and had reached the highest non commissioned rank of WO1 (Warrant Officer Class 1) and serving in a sought after job in Canada. I was ‘happy’ in life (what people believed), but inside I was being tormented by invisible wounds. One particular day in October 2019 (in my room in Canada) was a life defining (literally) moment where I had a choice.
End it all, or get help.
Thankfully, I walked over to the medical centre just behind the mess and saw a doctor. Making that decision was the best I have ever made. It was a tough one, that saw me get flown back to UK almost immediately for help.
Two and a half years of treatment, meeting someone very special and deciding to train as a locksmith has given me purpose and a love for life again!
Please don’t suffer in silence. It is a lonely terrifying place to be. I promise, you can turn things around if you just ask for help. I am now the best version of myself than I have been for years!
Choosing to become a locksmith was perfect for me. I get to work on different puzzles every day and meet new people. So if you need a locksmith and want to chat about any of the above or something you are dealing with, I will listen. Sometimes, that’s all it takes.
☎️ Call 07399574282
🌐 www.hirstlocksmiths.co.uk
🌐 www.hirstlocksmithsgalashiels.co.uk
