Story Link: https://www.live5news.com/2026/06/22/never-leave-soldier-behind-lowcountry-veterans-nonprofit-rallies-around-father-need/
June 22, 2026 ; BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) — Just two months ago, retired U.S. Army Sgt. Tracy Mazyck wasn’t sure what might come next.
The father of two young boys was facing eviction, struggling with chronic pain from a service-related injury, and without reliable transportation.
After serving two tours in Iraq with the 82nd Airborne Division, Mazyck found himself in a battle he never expected to fight at home.
“I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Mazyck said.
Today, things look very different.
Thanks to the efforts of fellow veterans, local businesses and a community determined not to leave one of its own behind, Mazyck is back on stable ground and looking toward the future.
“It literally felt like the world was on my shoulders, man,” Mazyck said.
That burden began to lift when retired Army Capt. Robert Cornicelli got a call from Berkeley County about a veteran in crisis.
“There is a veteran who’s getting evicted in two days,” Cornicelli recalled.
Cornicelli is the founder of the Veteran Recovery Coalition, an organization that has spent more than a decade helping veterans overcome obstacles ranging from housing instability to unemployment. The group’s philosophy is simple: provide support, accountability and a path forward.
“We have never given a dollar to somebody,” Cornicelli said. “It’s, I’ll help you with your rent, and I’ll go pay it. I’ll go to court and negotiate with your lawyer and the property manager and the judge and pay your back rent. I’ll pay your car payment, but you must commit. I’m going back to work, we’ll help you.”
When Cornicelli reached out, Mazyck says the impact was immediate.
