LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — It was a special surprise on a dark day for the family of Jason Pierre, a Newberry Township U.S. Army veteran who tragically took his own life on April 14, 2021.
“My brother definitely loved being in the service," said Jason's sister, Sonia Pierre. "He would have done it all over again regardless of how it affected him.”
Sonia spent Thursday morning at her brother's grave in the Fort Indiantown Gap Cemetery in East Hanover Township.
Little did she know, she would be joined by Carrie and Jimmy Hendershot and their children.
The Fulton County couple started a non-profit called LTQ Veteran Strong Inc.
They make and donate wooden flags to families of veterans like Jason, who committed suicide.
“What they’ve done for this country, the sacrifice they’ve made, the loss of the loved one, it just, it’s honestly, I can’t put it into words the feeling we get from that," said Carrie Hendershot, the president and CEO of LTQ Veteran Strong Inc.
In January, the Hendershot family flew to Texas to present their first flag.
On Thursday, they got to gift their second one to Sonia and the rest of the Pierre family.
“I’m totally speechless," said Pierre. "My heart is full and I appreciate this so much."
“It means so much that we’re able to bring a smile and bring a ray of light on this day which is the one-year mark for the family," said Hendershot.
The Hendershots hope to keep making and gifting flags to other families across Pennsylvania, and across the nation, spreading awareness about veteran suicide in the process.
“We do this in hopes that maybe our story, us sharing something with you, you sharing your loss with us, will help that one person realize there’s people out there, they can help, and that’s what we want," said Hendershot. "We want that number down.”
If you know a family of a veteran who committed suicide that could be a good recipient for a flag, or want to learn more LTQ Veteran Strong Inc., you can head to the non-profit's Facebook page.