Captain's widow says "I refuse to give up" on stopping military suicides

“I Refuse to Give Up”
By LESLIE MCCADDON
October 7, 2012

I ache in my bones and muscles and soul for all the suffering that continues to occur.

I am tired of learning about people who reached out for help, sometimes screaming for help, and they were dismissed by the military.

I am tired of hearing widows who not only blame themselves unfairly, but are also blamed by the military (in writing) as the trigger for their husband’s suicide.

I am tired of an endless problem that seems to have no clear solution.

My heart breaks for each of us.

The moms, dads, siblings, widows and children. If we aren’t asking why any more (and many of us have learned to stop asking that question) we are asking what can we do?

Today, I am tried and frustrated that the number of suicides keeps going up and more and more families are in need of support from TAPS.

I don’t have the solution. But, I refuse to give up. We all have to refuse to give up.

Leslie McCaddon of Massachusetts was one of two widows Time featured in its July cover story on the surge in Army suicides. Her husband, Dr. Michael McCaddon, an Army captain, died in March. read more here