Miami-Dade Fire lieutenant's widow fights mental health stigma for first responders
MIAMI - In the wake of her husband's death by suicide, Carolyn Acosta is on a mission to raise awareness about the mental health struggles many first responders face in silence.
Her husband, Miami-Dade Fire Lieutenant Alexander Acosta, battled PTSD before taking his own life this past summer.
Now, Carolyn is determined to "sound the alarm" on the urgent need for better mental health support for firefighters and other first responders.
CBS Miami has been spotlighting the mental health crisis across our community.
We recently focused on the work of a local priest to help firefighters coping with PTSD in honor of his own late brother.
Carolyn said this about her late husband, "He was an incredible husband, father, friend. He was just good all around."
Alex was 49 years old and a longtime member of the Air Rescue Division.
"That's one thing about Alex is like he had his tough side as far as like when it came to work and stuff," Carolyn said. "But then also compassion. He was so loving, always expressed how he felt about us, me and my son, even with friends."
Carolyn says her husband was going to therapy, sometimes multiple times a week.
She noted he was having trouble sleeping and seemed anxious, but Lt. Acosta, like many first responders, kept his inner battle to himself.
"He never really talked about it. But I know it wasn't pretty what he saw," Carolyn said.
In the wake of Lt. Acosta's death, MDFR Chief Ray Jadallah shared a message that was posted on social media.
"Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness," he said. "Alex's passing is a stark reminder of the struggles many of us face every day, but oftentimes ignore for many reasons, such as fear, shame, stigma or simply because we don't know how to face our own troubles."
The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation estimates that there are between 100 and 200 firefighter deaths by suicide each year, roughly double the rate of the general population.
"I feel like the problem with Alex is that nobody talked about it," Carolyn said. "So he was holding all this inside, you know, and I feel like a lot of first responders are feeling the same."
Carolyn has created the First Alarm Foundation to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the first responder community.
"First alarm is the first alarm that goes off and I think that should be usually in your home," Carolyn told CBS News Miami's Lauren Pastrana. "I feel like sometimes we can see things or feel things at home and maybe we're not seeing outside."
Carolyn says clinicians dealing with first responders need to be trauma-informed and well-versed in PTSD to be better able to relate to these firefighters in crisis.
The First Alarm Foundation has already gotten the attention of policymakers and local leaders including Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
"The emotions come in waves," Carolyn said. "But I know that I'm heading in the right direction because so many doors are opening. So I know this is the right thing to do. I think Alex dedicated his life to saving lives. I think it's time for us to take his legacy and just continue and help others."
Carolyn says firefighters have something called "Kelly Days"-- paid days where they don't have to work. She says she'd like to see something like an "Alex Day"-- a paid day specifically for firefighters to tend to their mental health.
