KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — State leaders unveiled the Veteran Suicide Memorial Mile in Knoxville on Monday.
State Rep. Eddie Mannis and State Sen. Becky Duncan Massey made the announcement.
According to a press release, the section of South Northshore Drive, just north of Westland Drive and Park Glen Road, received the designation earlier this year to honor veterans who have struggled with mental health challenges and to increase awareness of suicide prevention efforts.
“For so many of our brave servicemen and women, the battle unfortunately does not end when they return home from deployment,” Mannis said. “Oftentimes, they continue to suffer from invisible wounds like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Suicide, and specifically veteran suicide is rarely discussed. We must bring awareness to the increasing rate of this complex challenge. That is why awareness and support of programs that deal with the mental health and well-being of our veterans is so important. My goal in proposing this legislation was to hopefully bring focus and awareness to a problem that is challenging our veteran community.”
Officials said the location was chosen based on its close proximity to the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on Lyons View Pike where more than 5,000 veterans and spouses have been laid to rest.
“It’s important to honor our brave veterans for their service to this country and recognize the mental health challenges many of them face when they return home,” Massey said. “This memorial is part of the ongoing effort to raise awareness of those challenges as well as the resources needed to treat our veterans.”
According to the most recent National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, nationwide, there were 6,261 suicides involving veterans in 2019 – an average of 17.2 every day. Of those deaths, 185 occurred in Tennessee.
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