Atlanta Air Force veteran shares how asking for help changed her life during a mental health crisis
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and Wounded Warrior Project is raising awareness about the higher risk of suicide among veterans.
Wounded Warrior Project is a veterans service organization that supports wounded, injured and ill veterans, service members and their families. The organization works with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Emory and other partners to provide mental health programs and services.
More than 1 in 4 veterans registered with the organization reported having suicidal thoughts within the previous year, according to the 2025 Wounded Warrior Project Warrior Survey.
The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that an average of 17.5 veterans died by suicide each day in 2023. The agency also reports that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among veterans younger than 45 and that more service members and veterans die by suicide than in combat.
CBS News Atlanta spoke with Air Force veteran Sam Hargrove, who served for more than 11 years. Hargrove said she experienced suicidal thoughts while adjusting to civilian life.
"I was driving along, and I thought, 'I can't do this to my family.' So, I reached out to my social worker at the time, and I told him, 'Hey, if you don't do something, I'm not going to be here much longer,'" Hargrove said. "It took a lot of time for me to realize that's not a weak moment."
Hargrove completed inpatient treatment at Emory through Wounded Warrior Project. She now works as a peer counselor with the organization, helping other veterans facing similar struggles.
"I went from being that soldier on top being carried to being that warrior on the bottom that's carrying that soldier," Hargrove said. "And that means a lot, you know, because we're actually out here able to help. We're not alone, but we feel so alone."
Veterans and their loved ones can reach the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255 or visiting VeteransCrisisLine.net. You can also chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here. For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
