Father needs help to get veteran's body back home to West Virginia

Gone But Not Forgotten
Written by Erin Murray
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Even though a few years have passed since September 11, 2001, there are still thousand of people affected by that day.

The attack was not just an opened wound healed quickly, many people, especially the armed forces are still dealing with some hidden scars.

After September 11th, 2001, hundreds of thousands of men and women have gone overseas to protect and serve.

Thousands of these people gave their lives and died on foreign soil.

But Ralph Suter Jr. didn't die in battle, but back home, in his sleep, after suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

His father Ralph Sr. remembers the day he came home.

"He was coming back towards the counter. I said, 'Can I help you?' And he said, 'I'm your son.' I couldn't believe it!" said Ralph Suter Sr., father. "So he walked back and said, 'Hold out your hand.' And I held my hand out and he held his hand above mine and dropped this pocket knife in my hand and said, 'This is what got me home.'"

Ralph Sr. collects pocket knives and this present from his son, he keeps by his side at all times.

Ralph Sr. said he knew his son had changed after this last deployment.

"He changed, he was more withdrawn, like he didn't know what to talk about because what he wanted to talk about to me, I wouldn't understand, and he knew it," said Ralph Sr.

Ralph Jr. died July 23, 2007 and it has been a mission of Ralph Sr. to give back and help all veterans, especially those suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
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Gone But Not Forgotten