Upstate NY Veteran Walking Across America for Suicide Awareness

Studies say that 22 veterans commit suicide every day. It's such a troubling number for these people that put their lives on the line to protect us. Tom Zurhellen believed more people needed to know that number so he's doing something about it.

On Monday, Tom Zurhellen left Portland, Oregon headed to Poughkeepsie, NY which is 2,888 miles away, and he intends to travel that distance, by foot.

New York Upstate reported on Zurhellen, a veteran himself, who plans to walk 22 miles each day to reach his destination. The number of veterans that commit suicide every day. He also operates VetZero, a non-profit whose main goal is to reduce the veteran suicide rate to zero.

Zurhellen is keeping everyone updated on his progress through his Facebook page and a GoFundMe has been set up for donations. Based on calculations, Zurhellen should be finishing his journey in August. His hope is that this brings more awareness to the number in hopes that that number becomes zero.