Jess McHugh (Host/Narrator)

In other words, Sarah said there'd been some kind of delay, that she was supposed to be getting financial support from the VA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, but there was a holdup. And Dave, he understood this kind of thing.

In other words, Sarah said there'd been some kind of delay, that she was supposed to be getting financial support from the VA, the Department of Veterans Affairs, but there was a holdup. And Dave, he understood this kind of thing.

As far as Dave was concerned, the day was a win-win. He got to help a vet in need, and he also got a new member, a fresh face, and a woman, too.

As far as Dave was concerned, the day was a win-win. He got to help a vet in need, and he also got a new member, a fresh face, and a woman, too.

And it wasn't just that Sarah was a woman. She had a great energy about her. She seemed to embody the new, younger VFW that Dave wanted to build.

And it wasn't just that Sarah was a woman. She had a great energy about her. She seemed to embody the new, younger VFW that Dave wanted to build.

Not to mention, she was also a wounded combat veteran. This didn't come out right away or in a super public manner. She would make references to her injuries and later to the medals that she'd won. Eventually, she showed up to VFW meetings with Purple Heart license plates. And she seemed remarkably resilient.

Not to mention, she was also a wounded combat veteran. This didn't come out right away or in a super public manner. She would make references to her injuries and later to the medals that she'd won. Eventually, she showed up to VFW meetings with Purple Heart license plates. And she seemed remarkably resilient.

When folks actually talked to Sarah, she was relatable, even to the other veterans, the old school guys.

When folks actually talked to Sarah, she was relatable, even to the other veterans, the old school guys.

Inside the VFW, there was an understanding that the awards Sarah had won, the sacrifices she'd made, were fundamentally about service, about doing her job, about having the backs of her fellow Marines. But in the civilian world, her acts of valor made her something of a hero. For people who'd never seen a battlefield, heroes were the stuff of Hollywood movies. People you praised and admired.

Inside the VFW, there was an understanding that the awards Sarah had won, the sacrifices she'd made, were fundamentally about service, about doing her job, about having the backs of her fellow Marines. But in the civilian world, her acts of valor made her something of a hero. For people who'd never seen a battlefield, heroes were the stuff of Hollywood movies. People you praised and admired.

They certainly weren't people whose credentials you questioned. And in the absence of that kind of scrutiny, Sarah could truly be that storybook hero. The perfect blend of valor, tragedy, and triumph. And that's who Sarah was, at her gym, a place called Training for Warriors in Rhode Island. We're going to take a deep dive here, into the world of her gym.

They certainly weren't people whose credentials you questioned. And in the absence of that kind of scrutiny, Sarah could truly be that storybook hero. The perfect blend of valor, tragedy, and triumph. And that's who Sarah was, at her gym, a place called Training for Warriors in Rhode Island. We're going to take a deep dive here, into the world of her gym.

Because if you've been wondering, why would Sarah do any of this? Why would she take such risks? What was in it for her? Well, the story of her gym offers some very interesting answers. One afternoon last fall, I sat down with one of the gym's most passionate members.

Because if you've been wondering, why would Sarah do any of this? Why would she take such risks? What was in it for her? Well, the story of her gym offers some very interesting answers. One afternoon last fall, I sat down with one of the gym's most passionate members.

Michelle is in her early 60s with spiky blonde hair. She reminds me a lot of the moms from where I grew up outside of Boston. When you first meet her, her attitude is kind of, what the hell do you want? But then she'll invite you into her home and make you a peanut butter ball, and you're in.

Michelle is in her early 60s with spiky blonde hair. She reminds me a lot of the moms from where I grew up outside of Boston. When you first meet her, her attitude is kind of, what the hell do you want? But then she'll invite you into her home and make you a peanut butter ball, and you're in.

Michelle, along with other members of the gym, came to believe that Sarah was suffering from PTSD. Some days, out of nowhere, she'd drop into the fetal position. Once, when someone was taking pictures, Sarah was triggered. She told Michelle, you see a camera, I see a gun. Michelle stepped in and asked the person taking the pictures to move. This kind of thing became a habit for Michelle.

Michelle, along with other members of the gym, came to believe that Sarah was suffering from PTSD. Some days, out of nowhere, she'd drop into the fetal position. Once, when someone was taking pictures, Sarah was triggered. She told Michelle, you see a camera, I see a gun. Michelle stepped in and asked the person taking the pictures to move. This kind of thing became a habit for Michelle.