A Platte County graduate became the star in a commercial by the Kansas City Chiefs that appeared on social media and television networks leading up to Veterans Day.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, a 2 minute, 40 second video of quarterback Patrick Mahomes writing and then reading a letter he wrote to Scott Buis, a Columbia, Mo., resident with ties to Platte County, debuted.
Buis, a 1997 graduate of Platte County High School, filmed the clip three weeks ago but held it under wraps before it went public.
“I was blown away,” he said. “The NFL Network came to my house and interviewed me and handed me the letter. I was like ‘wow.’ It was an honor. Getting recognition from the MVP of the NFL was surreal … my mind was blown. It made me feel good.”
The commercial first debuted on Good Morning America and within the next few days, Buis was getting friend requests from old high school classmates. He didn’t actually see it until his sister-in-law shared with him what the Chiefs posted.
Scott Buis reading Mahomes’ letter.
Buis said he watched it three or four times just to make sure he heard all the words correctly.
“I was expecting someone to pinch me and wake me up,” he said. “Besides the birth of my daughter and getting married, this is one of the most memorable moments.”
How he got picked to get a letter from Mahomes, Buis still isn’t sure.
He noted an organization for veterans held a contest that gave out NFL playoff tickets last winter and Buis wrote about his love for the Kansas City Chiefs, from moving to the area in 1990 to being stationed overseas and now living in Columbia.
“The Chiefs kept me connected to the states when I was deployed,” he said.
He didn’t win tickets but 10 months later he got the letter from Mahomes and on Sunday, Nov. 3, he was at Arrowhead Stadium to watch the game as a guest.
In fact, Buis got on the field and throw out the ceremonial ‘first pass’ during the Chiefs’ Salute to Service game. He met Sharron Hunt, the daughter of the Chiefs found Lamar Hunt, who thanked him for his service and being a Chiefs fan.
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Ken Kramer (1979-84) caught the pass from Buis, who threw it an hour before the game started in an almost empty Arrowhead Stadium.
“I felt honored to have that moment and looking around at the stands to get a glimpse of what it would be like to be there (as a player),” he said.
Buis was in the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2004, starting off with a tour in South Korea before heading to the Middle East after the events of Sept. 11. He was part of the invasion into Iraq and spent time in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well.
When he was discharged from the military he had trouble adjusting to life and was even homeless for a stretch.
“The country had changed after 9-11, I got lost after I came back,” Buis said in the commercial, adding he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
He ended up in Leavenworth, Kan., for treatment for mental health issues.
Buis, now 40, got back on track and landed at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph where he earned a bachelor’s degree in social work. He also meet his wife at Western and after graduation they moved to Columbia, where Buis started work on a master’s degree at the University of Missouri to work with veterans. In 2013, Buis started to work for a community support agency.
“I wanted to continue to serve, just not with a rifle in my hand,” he said. “I still have a purpose to be a social worker to greet those coming in and saying ‘brother and sister, it will be OK. We can get through this together.’”
He joined Welcome Home in Sept. 2016 working a variety of roles for the non-profit organization that expanded to feature a 32-bed facility for homeless veterans. While working at New Horizons in Columbia he worked with civilian homelessness and used that experience gained for this new job where he has been a counselor, clinical director and program director.
Buis works with veterans to overcome health and substance abuse issues, working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as working with them to line up employment once back in the states.
The homeless population, in terms of veterans, has dropped from 700 to 500 since 2016 and he hopes to have an impact in making that number keep dropping.
“We want to them off the street and a roof over their heads,” he said. “I was fortunate to have a family who understood the struggle with mental health and substance abuse and they were there to support me. I was able to get my mental health care at the VA so I had that to call on when things got really bad. This job helps me encourage the veterans when they seem down on their luck and it helps me to talk to them. It is kind of like I’m still healing myself by helping someone else. I use my social work skills, I’m a license social worker, to meet the where they are at and help empower them to have a better life and give them hope they don’t have to be stuck where they are at. I feel like this is my calling. Before the military, I felt like I was just rushing through life wherever the wind blew me and wherever the wind blew me. The military gave me a purpose. When I stopped serving, I think God gave me this opportunity to keep serving. I’m blessed to have an opportunity to help others and advocate for veterans and today being Veterans Day, it means even more.”
People can donate or volunteer to the cause at Welcome Home at www.welcomeveterans.org. Buis also encourages people to let the organization know of a homeless veteran or a veteran who is having issues, as homeless prevention is another section where help can be provided.
His work with the veterans was mentioned in the letter from Mahomes.
‘Football is an amazing game that can help people get through the roughest times,” the Chiefs quarterback penned. “While I can’t begin to imagine the hardships you endured in combat, what I admire how when you left the military you dedicated your life to helping fellow servicemen and women to get access to the resources they needed. Without your service there would be no football. No NFL and of course no game day. So I say thank you. Happy Veterans Day and Go Chiefs.”
Buis, after wiping tears from his eyes, yells Go Chiefs.