Latest news with #SuzyKroll
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texarkana Vietnam Veterans of America honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day
TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KSHV) – The Texarkana-area chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America hosted its annual Memorial Day ceremony. They read names of fallen soldiers, and this year also passed out dog tags as a physical reminder of the sacrifices so many made. What is Memorial Day and how has it evolved from its Civil War origins? 'There's a kid out of New Hampshire, 12 years old started making dog tags of all the Americans that got killed. He's made 95,000 of them so far,' said Greg Beck, President of Vietnam Veterans of America #278, 'I've been doing this for 40-something years, and I never thought about dog tags, but he did.' One local organization spoke about its mission during a quick break from its own journey to spread the message. The members of Ben's Heart Ministry spent the day walking 22 miles. 22 miles because 22 veterans die by suicide every day, according to a 2013 study from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Suzy Kroll started the non-profit group following the death of her son, a veteran who suffered from PTSD, and who took his own life. She has dedicated herself to helping other veterans fighting the same battles. There's a specific way to fly your US flag on Memorial Day: What to know 'It's not a weakness at all. It's an invisible scar. It's an invisible wound from war. And my son came back physically, but he did not ever come back from Afghanistan. So I don't want that to happen to anybody else,' says Kroll. They are walking to spread the message that 22 a day is 22 too many, and that we need to fight to help our veterans even after they have come home, just like they fought for us. Ben's Heart Ministry is continuing its social media campaign through the end of the month, challenging others to find their own way to spread awareness. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Texarkana group asks community to join PTSD awareness challenge on social media
TEXARKANA, Ark. (KTAL/KMSS) — A nonprofit group in Texarkana is seeking the community's help in spreading its message of hope leading up to Memorial Day. Founded by Suzy Kroll, who lost her son in 2023, Ben's Heart Ministry works to provide support for veterans suffering from PTSD and their families. One of the ways they achieve this is through open meetings held on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month at 10:00 a.m. at Life House Church. On May 1, they are starting a social media challenge centered around the number 22, which is the number of veterans who take their own lives every day. Some members of the group are walking 2.2 miles a day, but there are many creative ways to show support. 'Blessed by Pope Francis' Shreveport woman recalls visit to Vatican City 'Some of them are doing push-ups. Some people are putting 22 flags in their yard,' says Kroll, '22 minutes of prayer. Give $22 to somebody. Just take a picture, not that we're trying to boast, we're trying to bring awareness, but once you do it, then you challenge somebody else to do it too.' Each post should use the hashtag #B 22 to help spread awareness. They already have several local businesses and organizations ready to participate and are hoping the community will show its support. 'He had a heart for others, and he wanted to bring awareness,' says Kroll, 'I don't want my son to have died in vain. I want to finish what he started.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
