Soldiers are trained to be able to handle almost any situation while on duty, yet receive little to no training or help on life after their service.
Without any guidance or support, nearly every soldier struggles with the effects of war and has seen the effects of PTSD in either their own life or the lives of friends and family. For some, the pain becomes so unbearable and so crippling that they see no other way to stop the pain than to kill themselves.
“Veteran Suicide has reached an all-time high and this just isn’t acceptable. These men and women fought for us, bled for us, and some died for us. All so that we may live,” Marine Corps Veteran Ryan Weldon wrote in a post to his GoFundMe page, which has raised over $9,000 for the PTSD Survivors of America organization.
Weldon knew firsthand how PTSD affects daily life and decided he needed to do something to help put an end to the needless veteran suicides each day. “Twenty-two veterans a day take their own life due to post-traumatic stress,” he said. “As a Marine, I refuse to sit by and do nothing.”
To raise awareness, Weldon decided he would walk 5,000 miles from Delaware to San Francisco, CA. Along the way Weldon interviewed other veterans and their families to spread stories of strength and hope in regards to dealing with PTSD. “When I said I was gonna do this trek, my family…thought I was crazy,” Weldon said. “Everyone called me crazy, and I stood up for what I believed in. I knew it was a serious cause. I knew it was a series issue. I knew I needed to do something.”
“Now that our Military veterans are home they need us to fight for them, they deserve our help, because it’s the least we can do, for everything they’ve done for us,” Weldon, who just completed his cross-country trek, explained.
Watch the entire video below to see the incredible moment this Marine veteran finished his 5,000-mile journey.
Were you inspired by this hero’s mission and dedication? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this incredible story with friends and family on Facebook.
[Featured image credit: Fox News]
Hero Veteran Walks 5000 Miles Across The Country To Raise Awareness For PTSD is an article from: LifeDaily