RADFORD, Va. – First responders often witness some of the most horrific scenes in their line of duty, and sometimes, these experiences become too much to bear, leading to PTSD or, worse, suicide.
“The thing that I carry with me from that day, I was in the woods behind my house, and the thing I carry with me that day is the sound of my screams, and those will wake me up at night. I don’t remember much, but I still hear those,” said Jeanne Grubbs, widow of former Pittsylvania Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Grubbs.
Robert Grubbs shot and killed himself in the woods behind their home in 2021, highlighting a troubling trend across the U.S.
“This is something that is real, it’s something that happens in our community, and it’s something that we need to take a drastic effort to make sure that we prevent,” said Evan McManus, a lieutenant with Radford City Police Department.
In 2024, the rate of officers taking their own lives was twice the rate of those killed by gunfire.
To help raise awareness for post-traumatic stress disorder among police officers, the Police Benevolent Foundation holds Behind the Badge seminars.
These events aim to spread awareness by highlighting the hidden dangers on the job, warning signs, resources, and most importantly, providing a chance for open conversation to break the stigma of mental health issues.
“Obviously it’s not a topic that most people like to talk about, but it’s important,” McManus said. “As the years have progressed, I think we as law enforcement have learned time and time again that it is more important to spend time not only learning this stuff but also training it.”
Jeanne Grubbs has dedicated herself to raising awareness and honoring her husband’s memory by speaking at these seminars.
“This is the best way for me to carry his legacy, is to go out and tell his story,” Grubbs said. “I may not ever know if it helps someone, I probably won’t, but if it saves one, if one person thinks about it, then it’s worth telling the story.”
They said having programs and seminars like this could save countless lives, as you never know who may be struggling.