Protesters at a San Antonio VA hospital demand better mental health care for veterans after Navy vet Mark Miller’s tragic suicide.
SAN ANTONIO — On Wednesday, dozens of people gathered outside the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, chanting ‘stop pushing pills, listen to your veterans’.
It comes more than a week after Navy veteran, Mark Miller, shot and killed himself in the parking lot of the hospital.
His father, Larry Miller posted about his son’s death on Facebook. The post has been shared by more than 22,000 people.
“This story is not unique, this story is very common,” Larry said.
His words resonate with so many families and veterans that have felt the same pain.
“17 veterans kill themselves every day in the United States and it’s not getting any better in fact it’s getting worse,” Larry said.
He said on April 7, his son texted him for the last time, “papa, I love you very much, always will.”
He said he sent him back a message, but it was never delivered. He would learn minutes later; his son would hand a VIA bus driver a book he had written with his father about veteran suicide. Then, get off the bus, walk into the VA hospital parking lot and kill himself.
“I think it was out of desperation, but he wanted to make a point, he made a very loud shot that reverberates around the world,” Larry said.
Larry said Mark had suffered from PTSD for years and he got to a very low point when he was 36.
“18 years ago, we rescued him from that first suicide attempt, it was very serious,” Larry said. “He almost did it.”
Mark enlisted in the Navy when he was 20 years old. Larry said he served six years then retired. But just a few months later, 9/11 happened. He said he wanted to re-enlist but this time as a Special Forces Sniper.
What came with that role, was a duty to kill. Larry said his son had the technical skills of a great sniper, but he did not have the mind of a killer.
“He was a very gentle, gentle kind man,” Larry said.
He said Mark went to the VA for help following his service. He was then prescribed anti-depressants. Larry said they made things worse for his son. It was not until they sought out treatment outside the VA, Mark got the help he needed.
“They used to really talk to them and do psychotherapy that really helped them but now they don’t have to do that,” Larry said. “They can see six patients an hour, not one and they just pass out these drugs like candy.”
Larry said recently, Mark fell back into depression. On April 1st, he went to the VA for help.
“The person there, the psychiatrist there, spent less than five minutes with him,” Larry said.
Larry showed us the text messages Mark sent him in frustration that he had been prescribed pills that he knew would not work for him.
“Get the drugs out of your system and start treating your veterans like human beings instead of rats,” Larry said.
The local organization, Circle of Arms hosted a memorial and walk in Mark’s honor Wednesday outside the VA hospital. The group’s mission is to promote mental health awareness about the veteran community.
“We are here honoring Mark, but we are making it known not another veteran,” Larissa Martinez said.
Larry could not make it out to the memorial but several of Mark’s family members were there. He said he is thankful the story is reaching the community.
“I want to make sure his voice is heard by somebody, help somebody,” Larry said.
KENS 5 reached out to the South Texas Veterans Health Care System about Mark’s death and Larry’s concerns. They released this statement:
We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere condolences to the Veteran’s loved ones. VA cannot comment further due to privacy restrictions.
If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7 confidential support. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/, or text 838255.