Veteran suicide documentary airs at Metamora Lions Club
(CBS DETROIT) - Veteran suicide is at the forefront of a documentary that brings veterans and their families stories to light.
"Saving 22" brings together veterans from all around Michigan and beyond to reflect and gather on life after the military.
"This is an opportunity that I get to look back, and you know a lot of people are not ok. I wanted to do something to help them be ok," says Gary Otte, filmmaker, veteran and director of "Saving 22."
Otte and his crew traveled across the country to hear from veterans and their families who have faced the hardships of addiction and in certain cases death or suicide. Otte says the "22" in the documentary's name represents a study from the early to late 2000's that revealed 22 veterans dying per day.
"If you really are moved and you want to do something, there are non-profits out there that have needs for what you can do," Otte says.
Two of the organizations in attendance at the documentary's showing at the Metamora Lions Club, Project Brotherhood Resolve out of Metamora and Foundation 14, based in Milan. Foundation 14 was featured in the documentary for their work in providing "Wind Therapy" to veterans, also known as riding motorcycles.
"When you have those words that we get very often which is thank you for giving me back my son, thank you for giving me back my daughter, it really kind of hits you and you really start to see and understand the work that you're doing," says Maria Caruso, the co-founder of Foundation 14.
Joseph Gemayel, founder of Project Brotherhood Resolve found out about "Saving 22" and Foundation 14's role in it after seeing the film at a showing in Ann Arbor. He says it hit home for him and he knew he had to bring it to his community of Metamora so they and other veteran families can see it in hopes of spreading awareness.
"You have family members that don't understand what's going on through a veterans head because the veterans never talked about their experiences through combat," says Gemayel. "Because when you go to combat you change you know, so you come back a changed person you know you don't comeback the same person," he added.
