Attorney General Sean D. Reyes took a moment to support Life’s Worth Living Foundation’s new veterans monument, PROUD, to help shine a light on the outstanding rate of suicides among veterans.
An average of 20 veterans die every day from suicide, a number that includes active-duty service men and women. Raising awareness and providing resources is key to protecting those who currently serve or have served in our military.
“Over the last couple of decades, we’ve lost far more service men and women to death by suicide than to combat.” – Utah AG Reyes
The statue, sculpted by local artist Dan Snarr, depicts WWII vet Robert Calder. Calder was shot while fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and then later fell down an elevator shaft, policing a building, and broke both his legs and back. Calder did not talk about his time in the war until shortly before he passed – a reality far too common among veterans and one that we hope to change.
Hear more from AG Reyes and artist Dan Snarr below.
The Life’s Worth Living Foundation raised more than enough money to commission the statue and Snarr donated his time and materials for the cause.
PROUD will be placed in Tooele Veterans Memorial Park on November 10th. The dedication ceremony starts at 2:00 p.m. and will be followed by a concert with up and coming country artists, J. Marc Bailey and Jamie Lee Thurston.