Film draws awareness to PTSD, provides suicide intervention

HUNTSVILLE (FOX 26) - Seven years ago, Kenneth Koon's son, MaCrae, nearly lost his life after 90% of his body was covered in third degree burns.

Koon, who was under severe stress, contemplated killing himself.

He didn't know it at the time, but he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a disorder he says can affect anyone.

His son recognized the signs and saved his father's life.

"He knew that something was going on with dad and could see behind that Sunday Church smile. He recognized somebody can help," and that I'm not alone, said Koon.

Alone, a feeling many experience when considering suicide. A feeling Koon has dedicated his life to eliminating as he reaches at-risk individuals through his suicide intervention program in Georgia.

Koon's work has brought him strength and reaffirmed that he's not alone.

Today he's on the set of the film Stronger, the vision of Carla McDougal, which has created an alliance for those like Koon, who are working tirelessly to break the chains of stigma against those suffering from PTSD and may be considering suicide.

Today, the final scene of the movie was filmed at the Hearts of Veteran's Museum in Huntsville. 

"We truly believe if one person chose, after watching this movie, not to take their own life, it would be worth it," said McDougal.

Saving lives. The work that Justina Page, a mother who lost one of her son's in a brutal fire and Toby Nunn, have committed their lives too. Both are part of the Stronger film and say the experience has changed them.

Nunn says progress can be achieved if a greater emphasis was put on getting our military personnel off the X, which in combat equates kill or be killed.

"Institutionally meaning within government there really isn't a program that gets guys and gals off that X," said Nunn.