HIGH POINT, N.C. -- A disabled veteran is speaking out, saying he and his service dog were denied entry on an Amtrak train over the weekend. He said the conductor did not believe that he had a legitimate disability.
Edwin Darnell Liles Jr. Rainey joined the U.S. Army as a Cavalry Scout in 1998.
He was in the Army for a total of nine years and was on active duty for six. In 2003, he suffered a traumatic brain injury. He said that has dramatically changed his life.
"I have no quality of life. I'm a hermit. I don't socialize anymore, I stay to myself. I'm a recluse and all. I don't like being in public," Rainey said.
When he is in public, he said it's tough. Having an extremely debilitating injury and suffering from PTSD makes it harder. That's the reason why Rainey's service dog, Pistol Pete, is around to keep him feeling safe.
"This is what I need because I'd be alone. I don't have relationships because, like I said, I'm a broken dish, and who wants a broken dish in their cabinet? I have that support through him. He misses me. He's happy when I come home. He can sense my emotions and he can really feel when I'm upset and having an episode," Rainey said.
On Saturday evening, Rainey was boarding the train at the Amtrak station in High Point to visit his mother in Burlington.
Rainey said the conductor questioned his service dog and his disability and would not let him on the train. Pistol Pete was wearing a service dog vest at the time.
"They wanted to know whether I was blind or if it was my seeing-eye dog, you know asking me all these embarrassing questions in front of everyone," Rainey said.
Rainey carries a service animal card around with him that states, "Refusal to provide equal access to people with disabilities with service animals is a federal civil rights violation, provided by the American Disability Act of 1990. Violaters of the ADA can be required to pay money damages and penalties."
Spectrum News reached out to Amtrak. A public relations manager said he was looking into the matter and would get back to us.