Listening Is How We Honor Them
It is vital for our mission that you hear their stories—not simply to be informed or moved, but so they can have a voice. And in their voices, you can hear their courage and grit that makes us proud to be of service.
These families shared their stories with us, trusting that we would carry them forward and amplify them with care.
Matthew Ridley
I married my high school sweetheart. We were married 24 years with 2 children. I was so proud of Matthew the day he joined the United States Army. He was deployed three times.
On his last deployment, he was attacked by a suicide car bomber that left only three survivors. My husband was one of them.
Jared Johns
The very last night that he was over here at my house, I had cooked dinner for our whole family. We sat in my living room and I was holding Kylan, Jared’s nephew. I began to rock him and sing an old hymn entitled “He Leadeth Me”.
Jared began to sing along with me, as well as his sister, his twin brother, and my husband. We all sang the entire song together sitting in my living room. It would be the very last time we would ever be together as a family with Jared alive.
Mickey Keeney
For years, Mickey battled depression and anxiety. He sought help, took medication, and did everything he was supposed to do. But sometimes, intrusive thoughts take over.
There were nights when he would hold it to his head and ask, “What if I just pull the trigger now?” We would always tell him to stop, and he never did—until that night.
First-Hand Accounts of Veteran Suicide
What Remains Podcast
In these episodes, two widows share their heartbreaking experiences—the exact moments that changed their lives forever. By sharing the “after,” they hope to reach those still fighting the “before.”
Important Note
These episodes contain graphic descriptions of suicide and may be emotionally triggering.
Short Stories Long on Impact
“He Did Everything Right”— But Now Everything is Wrong
In 2017, a veteran decided his battle was over. He was detail-oriented and left nothing to chance. He left his wife meticulous instructions, including all banking login credentials, and chose to shoot himself in the chest so his family could have an open-casket funeral. He thought he was taking care of them.
When his widow called us in April 2023, she had been through hell just to keep their home. The children wanted to stay, and the financial situation became so desperate that she eventually had to sell the house to her 18-year-old son just to keep it in the family. They are now struggling to put food on the table. The moral of the story: No matter how much you “plan,” your family is always worse off without you.
“Daddy’s Bleeding From His Nose”
This veteran suffered from PTSD for years before taking his life in the family home. Tragically, his 7-year-old daughter was the first to find him. Not understanding the finality of what she saw, she told her mother, “Daddy’s bleeding from his nose.” We provided funds to cover funeral costs and long-term mental health assistance for a family now haunted by that image.
A Battle of Three Attempts
When his mother called us, she was devastated. Her son’s roommate was the one who found him. She shared that her son had reached the breaking point twice before, sitting with a revolver in his mouth but unable to pull the trigger. On January 26, 2022, the darkness finally won. He took his life outside, behind his apartment complex.
“I’ve Got to Go”
A Jacksonville veteran was on the phone with his brother after Sunday church. It seemed like a normal conversation, though the family sensed he was not quite himself. As the call ended, the veteran said, “I’ve got to go.” His brother thought he was simply hanging up the phone. Instead, he heard a gunshot. It was over. We received the call the following Monday and stepped in to help.
Alone During the Holidays
Jeremy lived with the silent pain of service-related PTSD. He lived alone, and his sister grew worried when she didn’t hear from him over the holidays. When the door to his apartment was finally opened, he was found just inside the entrance. It was estimated he had been gone for 12 days before he was discovered. We honored his memory by covering the costs of his cremation.
For happy memories of the fallen, read our Silver Lining Stories.
