Students hike to bring awareness to veteran suicide

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ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Virginia Western Community College students hiked 22 kilometers, carrying 22 pounds on Friday to support veterans.

The purpose of the hike was to raise awareness about veteran suicide. The number 22 is important because they say hat's how many veterans take their lives every day due to PTSD.

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"There's a lot of stigmas. People kinda look down on people with mental health issues, whether they're small or severe. This is really trying to break down those barriers to be able to get people the access to the help they need," said Matthew Jones, a student taking part in the hike.

There are several groups dedicated to helping veterans. One is the Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255, which is staffed 24-hours a day, seven days a week all year-long.