Memorial monument for first responders and veterans dying of suicide to be dedicated in Rockwall

Worcester, MA (July 11, 2024) — Death by suicide is probably the most tragic and traumatic aspect of mental health crisis.

Suicide leaves a permanent void in the lives of the people whose loved one has chosen this to be the end of their life. This is true for anyone affected by suicide, but perhaps even more difficult for those left behind in the instance of suicide among public safety and military personnel. This is in part because in those professions, there remains an institutionalized stigma attached with seeking mental health care in general, as well as suicide prevention (and response) in particular.

Despite some strides taken to “smash the stigma” of suicide in those public service careers, it remains entrenched. Nowhere is this more evident than in the treatment suicide is given by individuals and organizations that present memorials and monuments to the dead. From the national memorial wall in Washington, DC to the myriad monuments in state capitals across the country, the names of those taken by suicide are nowhere to be found.

First H.E.L.P.—a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization comprised of a very small group of passionately dedicated individuals—seeks to fix that by creating a place where those sacrifices can be publicly recognized.

“There are plenty of organizations devoted to honoring first responders and veterans killed in the line of duty—and supporting the families of those fallen—but not enough to recognize the sacrifices of those professionals who have died by suicide,” says Karen Solomon, co-founder of First H.E.L.P.

Solomon continues, “Our families—those left behind by first responder and veteran suicide—don’t get walked to the first day of school or taken to prom. They are outcasts at the onset and must fight for a small piece of honor at their funerals, even today. This monument is for them.”

On September 21, 2024, First H.E.L.P. will unveil the only memorial monument in the country that will stand in tribute to the families, colleagues, friends, and loved ones left behind in the aftermath of first responder and veteran suicide. This is a long-overdue first and will take place during the 5^th Annual Family Weekend, co-hosted by the Motorola Solutions Foundation and the Quell Foundation, which provides an all expense paid retreat for these families.

Heroes Memorial Park is a multi-phased grass roots initiative to bring awareness, hope and purpose to those individuals that have been impacted by a mental health crisis. The Memorial and its connecting “Wall of Service”, located at the heart of Heroes Memorial Park in Rockwall, Texas is a continuation of the 2018 “Walk the Bridge” initiative which takes place every month on the Heroes Memorial Bridge located on Highway 66 between the cities of Rowlett and Rockwall Texas.  This first phase includes the Memorial, two benches and the pedestal recognizing the journey taken by the founders.

“Upon its completion, in addition to honoring those first responders and veterans who have lost their battle, we hope to break the stigma associated with those working through pos-traumatic stress,” says Chris Kizziar, Founder, Veterans Resource and Outreach Center (VROC). “The message “You are Not Alone” is conveyed clearly through this endeavor.”

“We want this extension of the Heroes Memorial Bridge to serve as a respected place to celebrate the lives and service of those Veterans, First Responders and their families, not how they left us,” says John Vick, retired United States Army Sergeant Major.

Fast Facts

• The monument will stand in Rockwall on the east side of Lake Ray Hubbard, at the start of Heroes Memorial Bridge (State Highway 66), in the area currently known as the Boat Launch.
• Expected to be in attendance will include 350 survivor family members, the First H.E.L.P. Board of Directors.
• The monument will weigh approximately 23,000 pounds, stand 10 feet high, and measure 12.5 feet long and two feet wide.
• Founded in 2016, the organization initially known as Blue H.E.L.P. adopted a clear mission to raise awareness about the epidemic of law enforcement suicide and support the families left behind in its aftermath.
• The monument will be a physical manifestation of First H.E.L.P.’s commitment to its founding principles of honoring the lives of those lost to suicide and ensuring that these people are remembered for how they lived, not how they died.
• Thus far in 2024, at least 61 public safety professionals have died by suicide, according to data meticulously gathered by First H.E.L.P.

Press release submitted by Karen Solomon, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News. Courtesy image.

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