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Mother creates memorial wall for veterans who died of suicide

Janine Lutz creates memorial as way to honor son, others

WESTON, Fla. –

Not all who lost their lives serving the United States died in battle.

An astounding number of veterans commit suicide after they return home. The mother of one of them believes they deserve to be remembered and honored on Memorial Day.

Janine Lutz created an 8-foot-tall, 50-foot-long wall displaying the faces and stories of veterans who died of suicide.

“With every tick of the clock, we are losing veterans,” Lutz told Local 10 News. “With every 65 minutes, another veteran is dying of suicide.”

Lutz has named the memorial wall after her son, Lance Cpl. Janos Lutz. The 24-year-old committed suicide two years ago.

Since the war on Iraq began in 2003, more than 104,000 veterans have committed suicide, Janine Lutz said.

“It’s not a dirty little secret,” she said. “This is an epidemic that’s facing our nation, and nobody’s doing anything about it.”

The memorial wall was on display at Café 27 on U.S. Highway 27 in Weston until 7 p.m. Monday.