Did a mission last year for a suicide. He killed his girlfriend first. The family was very surprised that we showed up, it was hard, but well worth it just to see the families reaction to our support. The Army did not send him home in a nice casket.


He was in a cardboard box.


It was about 12 inches high........

 

People are all very different. They say one man's trash is another man's treasure. It's easy for us to judge a suicide but, much harder to stand in their shoes. Suicide cannot be understood from the view point of logic. I had a dear friend that I loved like a brother kill himself four years ago. He was a USMC combat Vietnam vet and retired police. His suicide hurt a lot of people. I can't call him a coward. I know that is not who he was. Crazy but, never a coward.

I have stood the flag line for a few suicides. I have great compassion for tortured people. Living in the hell of one's mind is terrible. 22 veterans kill themselves every day. That's one every 65 minutes, 8,030 veterans a year. It's a horrendous statistic. When I hear that it's a suicide I try my best to make it to the mission. Same with homeless veterans, KIA's, returned MIA remains, etc..

PTSD is awful. It may not always be the only cause of a suicide but, it is one of the rocks on the pile. Take some PTSD, throw in some financial issues, maybe a health challenge and that may be all it takes for a person to get lost in their story (I = me + my story).

 

Many haven't been there before so they have trouble understanding a dark side you can't see. I think more than one here has though. We all need to stop & look at the problem of out friends that are in a high stress situation or job. Too many people let things take over their lives. One thing that most people can't believe is PTSD. It is unbelievable how big & consuming that can become.
But the bottom line is ....ALWAYS be there for the ones left behind ! They still hurt ! We especially owe our Veterans a special thank you ! No matter how or where they die ! Too many times their mind is still at battle !
Bless them all ! Both living or gone.........

 

Don't have to judge the suicide. I will just judge the murder.

I am sure her family was pleased to see the PGR come pay their respects to the MURDER.
My opinion of the PGR has just dropped.

P.S. I am a vet.

 

The PGR was there to pay their respect to the veteran.

The crime he committed was horrific, but we do not know what he went through in the years of his life prior to that. Other than the fact that he served his country honorably.

RIP.

 

We have the rest of our lives to judge. His family had one day to say a respectful goodbye to their son. We were there for them.

 

I have a thread on this board about the Vietnam Traveling Wall coming to our community.
Our guest speaker at the dedication ceremony committed suicide about three weeks later.

I sat across from him at a supper. No one, not me, or anyone else, saw it coming.

PTSD is as much as a wound as a bullet. And just as deadly. Sometimes it just takes longer...

 

I think it's more accurate if the PGR riders who attended tell us why they went, rather than you telling them why they were there.

I get that you wouldn't have gone yourself, and that's your decision, but obviously not everyone sees this the same way that you do. It's due to the service of those like yourself that we have the right to disagree, and make different choices.

 

Lost a Friend at work in 2012, VV, PTSD even after all these years.
The Church was packed. While we all hurt and wondered why he did,
The day he chose was the 10yr anniversary of his twin brothers suicide
He had once told me a quiet story of what had happened over there,
There was NO fix for what was in his head.

 

PTSD has gotten more attention lately but it's still misunderstood. I suffer from it. Nighmares, night sweats leaving you exhausted. It's not easy.

It's up to you but I would think of them as fallen comrades. You're there to support the family are you not?? Imagine how they feel.