Another Veteran was killed...
Another Veteran was killed...
...by their own hand.
To all my brothers and sisters in the military, and anyone else that's struggling...
One suicide is one too many.
It’s been said, suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. But it’s not a solution.
Suicide transfers your pain and suffering to those you love.
We need you to stay alive.
We all need you to hold the line.
We all experience ups and downs.
Life is hard but it's easier when you're around.
If you were to leave us, it weakens our defenses.
It causes doubt and pain in those you leave behind.
If you kill yourself, who would we share our struggles with?
If you kill yourself, our enemy wins.
Don't pull the trigger.
Don't open your vein.
Don't take those pills.
Don't wrap that around your neck.
Don't jump.
If someone finds you lifeless, imagine the pain and sadness; the stranger that works the investigation, the EMT, the coroner that prepares your body for the grave, the stranger that thinks about you. The next suicidal person takes a step closer to the edge because you killed yourself. You made it through the combat zone but took your own life.
Your death impacts hundreds of lives, if not thousands. All of us would give anything to keep you alive. All of us, hundreds, thousands would come to your aid, if you had just let us.
Now you're just a painful, sad memory, a statistic, a lifeless example of what not to do, lost potential.
If you want crowds of people to think about you, make a youtube video about your struggle.
It's like you're hanging on the edge and I'm reaching out to help you but you decide to just let go.
Anyone…any stranger would reach out to help you, but you just want to let go.
Anger, sadness, guilt, sleeplessness, doubt, questioning, pain so real it hurts your throat to cry. All this because you just let go. Look up and see the hands that are reaching out to you. Before you pull the trigger, ask yourself if anyone you know would pull the trigger for you. Exactly. No one would. That means there's hope. People love you. Even strangers care about you.
We all need you to stay alive.
We all want you to stay alive.
We need you to fight this enemy and win.
I need you to stay alive because one day, I'll need you to tell me how you made it through.
I can't do it without you.
Stay alert (keep an eye out for signs of suicidal thoughts or ideations).
Stay alive (don't take your own life).
Suicide never solved anything.
With empathy,
George
Through your donation, the Knockout 22 fund is being set up to take proactive steps to reach Veterans that are hurting, to help them connect with other Veterans, and rebuild camaraderie unique to those that have donned a uniform.