(WSIL) -- Southern Illinois families use a Facebook page to connect with other people whose parents are also Vietnam War veterans.
that has reached a worldwide audience to help and tell stories about having a parent who served in the Vietnam War.
Trev Harwood, Founder of Vietnam Veterans Children Worldwide, says he is proud of the service his father gave in the war, but it affected his family in different ways.
"A lot of the times he wasn't emotionally there, so there's an emotional detachment going on. So that made me think, 'Oh, what's going on? There's something a bit different.' Also moving around, quite awfully a bit as a young boy. I found myself going to eight different schools out of the the 12 years of schooling," he says.
Harwood decided to start a Facebook group where others can talk about their experiences. What started off as four members became hundreds with nearly 1,000 people.
He also makes short films, depicting real-life examples of trauma that some children of veterans face like abuse or witnessing alcoholism. He says his documentaries have helped some members heal from their past.
"I got a private message from one of our members saying it really touched her heart. And she actually picked up the phone and called her dad for the first time in 20 years," he says.
Hardwood says his documentaries have helped some members heal from their past and says his ultimate mission is to provide more mental health resources for families.
"My dream and vision is to actually create a non-for-profit organization, Vietnam Veterans Children Worldwide. We've already got some paperwork in the background working and creating that application and becoming a reality so we can have a look at what's out there in the market place," he says.
Harwood says he also hopes to collaborate with Amazon Prime and make a mini-series to help grow his audience.
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