There is an epidemic in our country that goes unnoticed; silently, we are standing by and ignoring the staggering statistics of veteran suicides.
The statistic currently stands at an average of 20 veterans a day that commit suicide. This epidemic is affecting all branches of the military and no rank is immune to it.
The letter below is written for a Marine, who straight out of high school went on to fight in Fallujah. He is my cousin’s husband, who succumbed to his PTSD on April 25th, 2019. He left behind 4 amazing children, a beautiful, loving, kind, and patient wife and a whole host of others that he supported, loved, and took care of (including myself when my husband deployed). He helped his community, showed up to help those during Hurricane Harvey, and would fight like hell for those he loved. What hurts the most is that we did not know how we could fight like hell for him; we didn’t know how to help him.
The letter I wrote is addressed to Andrew, but as these wars wage on, we know that Andrew’s name is interchangeable with many others.
Dear Andrew,
While many of us were entering this newfound liberation from a structured and rigid day of high school, you went on to seek a far more rigid and disciplined lifestyle. Many of us went on to walk the campuses of a new school far away from home, we went on to marry our loved ones, have babies, settle and nestle ourselves into our cozy homes in the suburbs, or explore a new city. You, Andrew, you chose to enter a different world, a world many of us are too cowardice to enter, a world where you are directed by mission and not by choice. A world where you can be taken from one ‘stan to another ‘stan and you adapt, march forward, and follow your orders. You took the call to serve and you did so– so that each of us had the room to be the spoiled Americans that we are– you stood guard for us, to protect our freedoms. There’s not one person in this country that has not gained from your sacrifices.
Andrew, this is an apology on behalf of all of us.
