My father was a strong, hardworking, smart, Christian man with a successful military career. He was also an alcoholic. Sadly, the last few years of his life were fraught with what we now know to be serious struggles and health issues due to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. As a result of this, he would become confused, confrontational, paranoid and delusional. I repeatedly tried to have his hunting rife removed from his home with the assistance of local law enforcement with no success.
Sadly, his story ended on Sunday, November 26, 2017, when he was home alone. He called five family members, myself included, as well as his minister, speaking to all, asking what was going on. He then took this “innocent” weapon and ended his life by shooting himself in the head. I know that, had that weapon not been at his disposal, he would not have died in such a horrible, violent manner. A death that indelibly changed the souls of his wife, children, grandchildren and other friends and relatives.