Omar Abdel Baqui Detroit Free Press Published 2:57 PM EST Nov 10, 2018 Lance Hoey and his 15-year-old son, Connor, marched Saturday morning through three Oakland County cities hauling 22-pound rucksacks in subfreezing temperature with wind and snow whipping their faces. The Hoeys, of Allen Park, and scores of other people — including Royal Oak Mayor Michael Fournier — participated in the the 5k Ruck 22 March to raise awareness of the roughly 22 U.S. veteran suicides that occur daily and to reflect on the sacrifices military members and their families make to serve. “I’m a vet, so this is near and dear to my heart,” said Hoey, who served in the U.S. Army. “I was in Operation Desert Shield and have friends who never came back, and I have some friends who came back and were never the same.” Fournier commended those who braved the mid 20-degree cold to attend the event. “Thank you to all the great people who came out for such a great cause,” he said. “The number 22 is stuck in my head — I think about it a lot. We need to bring attention to this serious issue, and we need to do more for our veterans who serve this country and protect our American values.” U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Robinson, 30, said he comes from a multi-generational military family and founded the event because he took issue with the high suicide rates of veterans. “We are losing people every day to suicide caused by (post-traumatic stress disorder), depression and other mental… [Read full story]
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