Veteran raising awareness and funds for PTSD

HOUSTON (FOX 26) - For many drivers on the southwest freeway they're not quite sure what to make of US Marine Mark Perez. He's standing on the bridge adorned in an American flag.

Some, like one lady, thought the worst - is Perez preparing to jump.

Perez says, "She found her way over here as quickly as possible she ran to me and was like what's going on Marine are like you ok."

Mark is okay at this stage in his life. But in the past after suffering from PTSD he admits during the dark days of his life he made the ultimate attempt.  He says it was a sense of abandonment ... a sense of loneliness.

"I'm not proud to say it but I've had several suicide attempts in my time and I'm trying to do what it takes so no one gets to that point personally," says Perez.

National statistics show 20 veterans a day commit suicide as a result of post traumatic stress disorder. In 2014, 7400 veterans took their own lives and those were mainly vets who did not seek the mental assistance needed to cope with the weight of their minds. 

That's why Mark is hoping to raise awareness and money to open a facility that will give veterans a place to go and get help.

He says "we want to test trial the program. It's a 90 day program boot camp for entrepreneurials where we are going to house them teach them and launch them into the real world."

Perez is a dedicated man...He's been on the bridge more than 24 hours even sleeping there overnight - and did I mention no food or water. That's until many people told him he was jeopardizing his health by not consuming liquids on the bridge.

He says, "I can go without food and I'll stick with the no eating fasting part but I will be hydrating that's the reason I let you know I felt light headed."

If you're interested in getting involved with Perez's campaign go to www.boldmotion.org