Son's suicide after Iraq called Mom into action

After son’s suicide, mom wants mandatory counseling for all veterans
Linda Chrzanowski grieves for the loss of her son John, Iraqi war vet
WBEZ
March 20, 2013
By: Michael Puente

Friends say growing up in Hammond, Indiana, John Chrzanowski was like a lot of kids. A natural-born jokester, he loved motorcycles and barbecuing.

After graduating from Morton High School, he married his high school sweetheart, had a baby boy named Jayden, and was trying to figure out what he wanted to do in life.

“He had talked about going into the military a couple of times. I think I deterred him a couple of times,” said John’s mother Linda Chrzanowski. “After 9-11 he just kept saying if he walks away from it and not serve his country, nobody else would stand up,”

WBEZ wasn’t able to confirm this particular incident, but it seems clear that John was struggling to adjust to civilian life. In June 2011 Laura and John broke up and she moved out.

A month later, with his mom away on vacation, John hosted a party. After midnight, he started texting former army buddies and calling friends. Laura Lathem says she reached out to John after seeing a troubling message.

He had put up a Facebook status with the lyrics to a song called Tomorrow. Tomorrow you’re going to let go of everything. Tomorrow you’ll move on with your life,” Lathem said. “I sat up because that was kind of scary.”

About 4 a.m., the troubled young man was alone in his bedroom. At some point he put a gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

John Chrzyanowski was only 22-years-old.

“I live the life of hell. I don’t have my son. Losing a child to a war, to suicide, to a car accident, to anything, it’s the hardest thing,” Linda Chrzanowski said.
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