Heroes stand at attention to raise awareness

Wilmington, NC (WWAY) — The defenders of our country standing at attention to raise awareness.

“We have 22 suicides a day that happen with our service members and with our veterans,” said Patty Owen, Stand at Attention Coordinator.

A member of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Marines competed to see who could stand at attention the longest. The event is organized by Active Heroes, a charity that is building a military family retreat to support veterans struggling with PTSD.

Owen read about the charity and wanted to get involved herself. She said, “I actually had a nephew that was in the Army, and he died three years ago because of suicide, so this is a near-and-dear charity to my heart.”

The event was held Saturday not only in Wilmington and Raleigh, but all across the country.

“We are the only one Nationwide that has all five service members,” said Owen.

With a goal of raising $10,000 in Wilmington and a national goal of $100,000, local high school JROTC united helped raise money and show support to those who are standing by doing push-ups, sit ups, and marching.

But one supporter showed there was not a price on how much the charity meant to her.

“500 bucks that I will match,” the supporter announced. “They both were in the Air Force. and they both were aviators, so she’s doing this in order for her father and her brother.”

And the price of family is limitless.