Sgt. Joe Lorek ends PTSD combat

A friend sent me the following.

Sgt. Joe Lorek took his own life at approximately 4:00am Sunday. Sgt. Lorek was a two tour OIF veteran and under the care of the VAMC for PTSD and a back injury. Sgt. Lorek served with the Light Armored Reconnaissance units in OIF. He had been discharged more than a year ago and was one of the Mentor Seven (Seven Members of a High School Class that enlisted together).

I encourage all to send a card to the family if they won't be able to attend the services later this week.

The coroner has ruled Sgt. Lorek¢s death a combat related event. Sgt. Lorek died as a result of an acute episode of PTSD that resulted in him taking his own life. There will be no autopsy and the attending physician said that from interviewing the last people Sgt. Lorek was with that alcohol and drugs did not play a part in his death. There was no note or letter and the event seems to have been a spontaneous reaction to the acute episode of PTSD. This means that unless the government and the USMC dispute this he will be entitled to a burial with full military honors and a grave site at the National Cemetery in Rittman Ohio.

It seems as if Sgt. Lorek had debts for a lease car the purchase of a motorcycle and credit card debt. It is not known if Sgt. Lorek carried any insurance or his family co-signed on the debt. There will be some funeral debts regardless of the coverage by the military.

Cards can be sent to the family at: Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lorek 8252 Midland Rd. Mentor OH 44060. Sgt. Lorek 's father's name is Joe and his mother is Barbara, brother John and sister Elizabeth. John is an LCpl in the United States Marine Corps stationed at MCAS Beaufort SC.

Services will be at Monreal Funeral Home in Eastlake here is a link to their website for information. You will soon be able to sign their online guest book too www.monrealfuneralhome.com

Donations can be sent to: Joe Lorek Family c/o Leathernecks MC 8720 Twinbrook Drive Mentor OH 44060. The Marine Corps League is also accepting donations.

The Patriot Guard will see him home.

SGT Joseph Lorek
United States Marine
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Veteran

Joe had served two tours in Iraq; He was under VAMC care for back injuries he received while in Iraq. He was also being treated for PTSD. Joe succumbed to the demons of war 6 January 2008. For many of us that have been in combat we live with these demons of war one day at a time. The coroner has ruled Joe died as a result of an acute episode of PTSD.
http://www.patriotguard.org/Forums/tabid/61/postid/747618/view/topic/Default.aspx

His obituary

Joseph W. Lorek
Funeral services for Joseph W. Lorek, 23, of Madison, will be 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, 2008, at Monreal Funeral Home, 35400 Curtis Blvd., Eastlake.Mr. Lorek died Jan. 6, 2008, at his home in Madison.Born Sept. 5, 1984, in Painesville, he had lived in Mentor before moving to Madison a year ago.Joseph was a 2002 graduate of Mentor High School. He received the Principal's Award for most improved student of 2002. He attended Lakeland Community College and graduated from Hondros Real Estate Academy in 2007.

He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and served three tours of duty in Iraq. Sgt. Lorek was a member of the Marine Corps League, V.F.W. Fairport Harbor, Leathernecks Motorcycle Club and a longtime volunteer for Toys For Tots.

He was a member of Mentor Baptist Church and did missionary work in Mexico for two summers. He loved fishing, boating and playing his guitar. He was an avid gardener.

He was loved and will be missed dearly by family and friends.Survivors are his parents, Barbara A. (Middleton) and Joseph M.; and siblings, Elizabeth A. and John Paul.Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman.Contributions may be made to the Joseph W. Lorek Memorial Fund, c/o Marine Corps League, 8720 Twinbrook, Mentor, OH 44060.Online at http://www.monreal.com/.
http://www.news-herald.com/site/news.cfm?dept_id=21847&PAG=461&newsid=19176206

Sgt. Lorek served his nation and his faith. Going to do missionary work in Mexico two summers instead of just hanging out. He joined the Marines. It is clear that this man was born with his character formed as one of a rare breed. He was deployed three times!

Over and over again when you read the stories of their lives, you find men and women of deep compassion, courage and service. They serve their communities and their families. They then serve the nation. Yet when these men and women come home with all they had witnessed ingrained in their soul, we allow them to fight the enemy on their own. After all, why should we fear an enemy we will never meet and never see? Can you be so sure you won't? Trauma can strike anyone. Ask the people who survived horrible crimes. Ask the people who survived Katrina, 9-11, hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis or even horrible car accidents, fires, mudslides. As emergency responders if trauma hit them and you will receive the same answer that it did.

The men and women serving this country usually wait to commit suicide when they come home, long after the enemy bullets and bombs stopped finding them. When they were no longer risking their lives for their friends and country, they found they could not find the same strength to fight for themselves. Where are we when it's our turn to fight for them? Our weapon is support, our shield is knowledge, our ammunition is making sure the government fully fund the VA and the DOD to care for them. We come to the challenge unarmed.

How many more are we going to lose when their battles should have been fought by us for them?