ROCKWALL, TX — (July 21, 2020) The Rockwall city council voted unanimously to approve a resolution supporting the renaming of the SH 66 bridge between Rowlett and Rockwall to the ‘Heroes Bridge.’
The resolution comes as a show of support for the #WalkTheBridge movement started in 2018 by the Third Watch LE Motorcycle Club to raise awareness and combat suicides among veterans and first responders suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). On the 22nd of each month, they invite folks to walk the bridge for 22 miles in support of suicide prevention among veterans and first responders. The number 22 refers to the VA-reported average suicides committed every day among veterans and first responders (between 17-22 per day).
The resolution was brought before the council by Retired veteran John Vick with Sen. Bob Hall’s Office; Chris Kizziar, founder of Life Message and the Veterans Resource and Outreach Center (VROC) which serves veterans across North Texas; and Third Watch LE Motorcycle Club President Brian Wilburn came before the council meeting Monday night to address the resolution. Wilburn said the initial objectives of #WalkTheBridge included raising awareness as well as providing counseling and peer support to veterans to prevent suicide. The naming of the SH 66 bridge represents the third objective of the movement.
“We begin to transition to this third element of the bridge and we decided that it needed a name,” Wilburn said in his address to the council. “We wanted to give people a place to come to reflect on the lives of these veterans lost to suicide, and therein was born ‘Heroes Bridge.'”
Learn more about the #WalkTheBridge movement at www.walkthebridge.org.
Blue Ribbon News staff report.
Our print edition is delivered free to ~15,500 homes in Rockwall and Heath, TX.
To share your good news and events, email editor@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Subscribe to our email newsletter here.
Advertising: 214-342-8000 or advertising@BlueRibbonNews.com.
Rockwall city council approves renaming of SH 66 bridge to ‘Heroes Bridge’ added by Austin on
View all posts by Austin →