UNT Student Hopes PTSD Victim Memorial 'Takes Root'
DENTON (CBSDFW.COM) - Tristan Tucker had an epiphany while making his transition from Navy life to UNT student life. He saw memorials to military killed in action, but none to the people who never recovered from service.
"We have guys who are coming home sick processed out of military and they haven't been able to get to the VA yet that unfortunately are taking their own lives," Tucker said. "And those guys deserve to be remembered too."
Tucker and other veterans want to plant a memorial tree on the campus for the estimated 22 veterans a day who commit suicide.
"It's up to us to take care of one another," Tucker said. "Veterans taking care of veterans."
They set up a GoFundMe account for a Tree of Life. They say if they can raise around $1,600 UNT will help plant a tree and maintain it for them and place a plaque in honor of the victims of PTSD.
"We're going to be remembering these guys but we are also going to be putting something big and in the way to cause people to look at it and say the cost of war isn't limited to the guys we lose overseas," Tucker said. "We are losing people at home as well."
After he left the Navy, Tucker suffered from his own bouts with PTSD. Seeing how people have responded to the online fund raising for the memorial with $1,000 so far has shown him there are people back home who want to help.
"They are not UNT alumni so they have nothing to gain by this," Tucker said fighting back tears. "Really the only thing they have to gain is to raise awareness for veterans. So, it's really just a beautiful point about support."
