Our military has a lot to go through before and after being deployed to war.
They go through rigorous training and are then deployed to their battlefield. There, they face terrors that they might not get over when they go back home. Most military men a lot of traumas and are haunted by their experience in war.
Coming home is one thing; dealing with war aftermath is another.
It’s a whole new battle. And without proper attention and care, most of them commit suicide, believing it’s the only way out from the nightmares. This could have been avoided if people were more aware of what’s going on before it’s too late.
So, this Marine veteran makes sure to honor their lives.
Terry Sharpe is a US Marine Corps veteran also known as “The Walking Veteran” because of his advocacy of walking for miles to raise awareness on war veterans committing suicide after coming home from deployment.
According to statistics, there are approximately 22 veterans that commit suicide each day.
In the US alone, there are almost one million people that die because of suicide every year. That’s 10.7 out of 100,000 people. In 2015, 18% of the total suicide deaths in the country were war veterans. This is a lot, mainly because war veterans only consist of 8.5% of the total population.
These numbers were expected to rise when COVID-19 hit globally.
With lockdowns, people – including veterans – felt more isolated than the rest of the world. True enough, the number of military deaths jumped to 25% by the end of 2020. This is an alarming number.
Terry makes sure that people are aware of this.
He walks for 300 miles from Summerfield, North Carolina, to Washington DC to commemorate and remember the lives lost in and out of service and raise awareness and fight for others who are suffering from post-war mental illness.
More than just walking for awareness, he also stood in one place – unmoved – for 22 hours.
According to Terry, the number “22” is not just any number; it represents the 22 lives lost in a day. More so, the 22 families they’ll leave behind and who will be mourning, and 22 more lives if people still turn a blind eye on what’s happening.
For Terry, what he is doing is nothing compared to what his fellow veterans are suffering.
“My misery will be over in 22 hours. Their misery is 24/7.”
He doesn’t walk alone.
Carrying the American flag, he walks the distance with some supporters behind him. This is also somewhat symbolic. For Terry, this shows veterans that they are not alone, that there are people who support them and are willing to go to great lengths to let them know that they can all rise together.
Terry Sharpe is planning to do this for the rest of his days.
He is willing to (literally) go the distance if it means saving the lives of many others in the future. While he recognizes that there are nonprofits like The Walking Marine and Nine Line Foundation that address veterans’ physical and psychological needs, he believes there’s still a gap in the system.
You can help Terry support veterans by donating here. Let’s all help our veterans who served our nation to protect our land and freedom.
Learn more about the Walking Marine in the video below!
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