Henry Co. Dept. of Public Safety helping raise awareness about veteran suicides

HENRY COUNTY (WSLS 10) - Henry County Department of Public Safety members have accepted the push up challenge to help raise awareness about veteran suicides.

"I found out about it by people posting on my Facebook page doing 22 push ups for 22 days," HCDPS Deputy Director Suzie Helbert explained.

Twenty-two is the average number of veterans who commit suicide every day.

After finding out what was behind all the videos, Helbert decided she and her co-workers should take part.

"We have veterans who both work for us and who are volunteers in the county, fire and EMS system, so that makes it personal for us," Helbert said.

Krissy Esget is one of those volunteers. She is a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard.

"To support our veterans with PTSD means a lot to me," said Esget.

Eddie Hartman works for public safety and has several family members and friends who are veterans, so he, too, is proud to help veterans.

"We need to get them the help they need so they don't feel like that's their only option," Hartman stressed.

Like the videos posted on Helbert's Facebook page, the public safety members are doing 22 push ups for 22 days starting Thursday.

"We're here to help our community," said Hartman. "We want them to know they're not alone, there is help, and we will help them find the help they need."

To participate, record yourself doping push ups and in the video say your name and why you're doing the push ups.

Then, post the video to 22kill.com.

The goal of 22kill.com is to collect 22 million push ups.

You can do as few or as many as you want. Every push up counts.