BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb (KMTV) — Daniel Gross served in the Navy for over 30 years. He joined after high school, looking for a change of scenery.
"Just wanted to get away from Nebraska and decided the Navy would be the best place to do it," Gross said.
His first deployment came in 2007 in Kuwait. While he didn't serve on the front lines, he worked closely with those who did — and the weight of that service stayed with him.
"So 3 deployments I've either not brought home everybody or not taken anybody that was supposed to go," Gross said.
Those experiences eventually led to his own mental health struggles, and later, a mission to help others. For the past two years, Gross has volunteered to give suicide prevention talks at the Navy Reserve Center in Omaha. He also works with At Ease USA, an organization that connects veterans and active service members with mental health care.
At Ease USA recently announced a partnership with Region Six Behavioral Health to help veterans who can't afford mental health treatment access affordable care through referrals and reduced-cost services.
Beth Kramer, executive director of At Ease USA, said the need is significant.
"54 percent of our clients earn less than 19K a year. They cannot afford therapy. They would have to choose between groceries and medications and mental wellness therapy," Kramer said.
For veterans who are struggling, Gross has a simple message.
"Reach out. Talk to somebody. That's where it starts," Gross said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
