Fate of two soldiers sheds light on veteran suicide, points out where to get help

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Free: This abridged version of the story about veteran suicides is presented free as a public service to allow access to information to get help. To read the full story, please subscribe online.

Francis Graves III and Jacob Jonza each carried emotional scars after returning home from military deployments to the Middle East.

Ultimately, each tried to take his life. One lived, while the other died.

About 24 First State veterans kill themselves each year, part of 6,000 veterans who commit suicide nationwide, according to a 2016 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs survey.

Francis "Stoney" Graves III joined the U.S. Army right out of high school and deployed immediately to Saudi Arabia. Twelve years after returning home, he took his own life at age 32.

Because the number has risen in the last decade, both the Trump administration and Wilmington Veterans Administration Medical Center have made veteran suicide a priority.

Their stories: Read more about the struggles and triumphs of Graves and Jonza

Graves, from Townsend, lost his battle years after returning from a stint in Saudi Arabia when he killed himself in 2015.

Jonza tried to kill himself in 2008, but was saved.

Pfc. Jacob Jonza (left), and Sgt. Daniel Grime of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, provide security for their platoon during a patrol through a business district in Baghdad's Sha'ab neighborhood in 2008.

The 33-year-old New Castle veteran credits the support of his family and the help from people at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Wilmington for saving his life.

"You can't give up on yourself and you can't quit," the 33-year-old said.

The story of these two Delaware men highlights what VA and mental health officials say is an epidemic that needs to be a priority for all.

Getting help

Here are some resources for veterans and others who might need help coping with thoughts of suicide:

• The Veterans Crisis Line can be reached toll-free by calling 1-800-273-8255 and pressing 1. It’s open to all veterans.

• The VA recently launched the S.A.V.E. online suicide prevention training video providing online education and support to those who work with, live with, or care for Service members, Veterans, and military and Veteran families. S.A.V.E. — which stands for “Signs,” “Ask,” “Validate,” and “Encourage” and “Expedite” — offers simple steps that anyone can take when talking with Veterans who are at risk for suicide.

Delaware U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs resources:

• Wilmington VA Medical Center, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, 302-994-2511 or 302-994-2511
Website

• Wilmington Vet Center, 2710 Centerville Road, Suite 103, Wilmington, 302-994-1660
Website

• Kent County Community Based Outreach Clinic, 1198 S. Governors Ave., Suite 201, Dover, 800-461-8262 X 2400
Website

• Sussex County Community Based Outreach Clinic, 21748 Roth Ave., Georgetown
800-461-8262 X 2300
Website

• Sussex County Vet Center, 20653 Dupont Blvd, Suite 1, Georgetown, 302-225-9110
Website

• Kent Johnson, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, 1601 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, 302-275-5676
Email: Kent.Johnson2@va.gov

Reach Jerry Smith at jsmith17@delawareonline.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JerrySmithTNJ.

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