Mother blames PTSD, VA for Marine son's suicide

Curtis Fike: Mother blames PTSD, VA for Marine son's suicide
Jody Merrill speaks out about hidden cost of war
WCPO Cincinnati
Carol Williams

Twenty-two veterans a day commit suicide. That's what the government reports. CNN says the suicide rate may be even higher.

Either way, it's a shocking and sad statistic on this Veterans Day, when we honor and celebrate those who have served our country.

A Tri-State mother shares her story, hoping to spare another family from her pain.

HAMILTON, Ohio – Growing up, her son was a "boy's boy," Jody Merrill remembers.

"I used to say, 'We could have a drought all summer, but he could find that mud puddle,' " Jody said.

Jody says her son, Curt Fike, was an All-American kid. He grew up in Hamilton, played football for Badin High School and loved hunting and fishing.

"As sweet as he was good-lookin, I'll tell ya," Jody said, picking out one of her favorite pictures of Curt.

Right after graduation and 9/11, Curt enlisted in the Marines. He went off to boot camp in 2002.

He was idealistic, his mother said.

"Oh, yeah: 'I'm gonna save the world. Go fight the bad guys,' " Jody said.

Jody says Curt was so proud of being a Marine, but his third deployment to Iraq took a lot out of him.

"Fire on the base. Saw two of his staff sergeants burn in front of him. He was actually knocked unconscious."

When Sgt. Curtis Fike came home for good in 2006, he was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

It wasn't until he died that Jody learned he also had a traumatic brain injury.
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