Korean War Veteran Truman Medders at home remains active in the community with support from VetAssist and Right at Home.
A few years ago, in his early 90s, Truman Medders, ran across some startling information: Each day nearly 22 Veterans die by suicide, almost double the rate for civilians. Truman, a Korean War Veteran in Springfield, Missouri, and former Army Airborne Ranger and jump school instructor knew he couldn’t let this continue to happen. Despite his advanced age and trouble getting around, Veteran suicide prevention became his new cause.
Help is available 24 hours a day!
800-273-8255
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTIONLIFELINE
He decided to use his own personal life experience and volunteer at Wellness for Warriors to promote physical and mental wellness with local Veterans, first responders and their family members and do his part in Veteran suicide prevention. Truman has been able to continue volunteering with Wellness for Warriors thanks to his caregiver Michelle Chrismer from Right at Home made possible by the VetAssist Program and the VA benefits he earned during the Korean War.
Truman’s suicide prevention work includes a presentation he made June 27, 2019 at a Wellness for Warriors meeting, “A Veterans Understanding of Suicide Prevention” that was also featured on Veterans Upward Bound’s social media, another Springfield organization serving veterans.
Truman lost several family members to suicide and today still finds it difficult to talk about the night his own father took his life. “I got a call at night… then jumped in the car and drove to my parents’ house. I cried most of the way. My aunt was there and I asked, ‘Where’s Mom?’ And she said, ‘She’s in the other room. She’s been sedated.’ I was devastated,” recalled Truman.
Right at Home Owner Ashwin Modayil and VetAssist Regional Manager Sheila Boutwell were in the audience at that Wellness for Warriors presentation and both were truly inspired by their mutual client.
“Truman is amazing with real life experience and knowledge to share,” says Sheila. “Part of my job is to find more Veterans like him who are unaware that they’re entitled to VA benefits. Even if you didn’t suffer a service-related disability or fight overseas, you may be eligible.”
During the Covid pandemic, the mission of Wellness for Warriors expanded to include Cox medical teams on the front line fighting Covid and Truman continues to inspire others.
Kerry Joe Miller, co-founder of Wellness for Warriors and volunteer coordinator at Cox Health, says “I’ll never forget when Covid first hit. We had to send all of our 28 Wellness Warrior volunteers home for their safety.
We could have easily put our mission on hold, yet Truman was my inspiration. He asked again what can I do to help? This really ignited me personally and others to go on,” said Kerry.
If you know a Veteran or Veteran’s surviving spouse who could use the help of the VetAssist Program to remain active in the community or just at home, call 888-314-6075 or check eligibility online.
