Gold Star Mom Who Lost Her Soldier Son to Suicide Speaks in Natick

NATICK, MA—With only six months left until he was done with his time in the military, Sgt. Matthew Patton killed himself. The 23-year-old, who served in the Army for five years and was deployed to Afghanistan, suffered from PTSD because of some of the horrific situations and scenes he witnessed in war. He shot himself in the head on May 13, 2013.

Gold Star Mother Lynn Patton, Matthew's mom, spoke about her son's suicide death on Sept. 23 at theNatick Soldier Systems Center to the workforce. Lynn started the Matthew Patton Foundation and speaks across the country to soldiers, urging the importance of getting help for PTSD.

Dr. Barry Feldman, director of Psychiatry Programs in Public Safety and assistant professor of Psychiatry at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also spoke at NSSC to conclude National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Read the full story from Natick Soldier Systems Workforce

Photo Credit: U.S. Army, NSSC