Yukon Veteran Re-Paints Action Figures To Cope With PTSD

Serving in the Marine Corp for ten years, Staff Sergeant Eli Dixon is now home in Yukon. His therapy consists of re-painted action figures, such as a ninja turtle Peyton Manning, a Wolverine Minion and even the entire Justice League. He does it all inside his controlled toy shop.

"I was at a school this morning yelling at the kids, revving them up, and I come home, grab a paint brush, and paint toys," said Marine Staff Sgt. Eli Dixon.

When you see Ninja Turtles in the toy isle, you may think it's just that, a toy.

"I see a possibility, in what way can I make this different," Dixon said.

In 2010, Staff Sgt. Eli Dixon returned home from his second tour in Iraq, his third deployment overall.

"We went to Kuwait, and were actually attacked, and got back a week later and then went to Iraq," Dixon said.

Though glad to be back, the transition home was hard.

"I'm not bitter about the Marine Corps by any means," Dixon said.

Eli suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress disorder.

"I can fall asleep, but I can't stay asleep, If I go to the post office I'm looking at the exits, the biggest threats, what could go wrong, and that's everywhere I go," Dixon said.

So this Marine was in need of a new mission.

"My son was getting into Ninja Turtles at the time and we both looked at one and thought, that could be cool as a Captain America," Dixon said.

Eli runs Imagination Therapy a recreation station for popular toys.

"It's my own little private world," Dixon said.

Inside that private world, he can do it all, because all has been demanded of him.

"I'm in control of everything around here," Dixon said.

Eli sells the repainted Ninja Turtles for about $40 apiece, and has orders from all over the world.

Imaginary Therapy's Facebook Page.