Dialog reporter
Jacob DiSabatino backing awareness campaign on scourge of suicides among veterans and active military
WILMINGTON — Jacob DiSabatino has his sights set on a future in the military, but his principal focus right now is to help those current and former service personnel whose future doesn’t seem so bright.
DiSabatino, who will be a senior at St. Mark’s High School in the fall, has started a campaign in Delaware to raise money and awareness of the problem of suicide by active-duty military and veterans. The campaign, 22 in 22, reflects the number of veterans who take their own lives each day. In addition, one active-duty soldier, sailor or Marine commits suicide daily.
“I was kind of stung by that. After that, I knew this was the program I wanted to be a part of,” he said.
DiSabatino is encouraging people to run, walk, cycle, swim or otherwise exercise for a total of 22 miles in 22 days beginning July 4 to help the cause. Thus far, the number of people who have pledged to participate includes his teammates on the St. Mark’s football and track teams, Gov. Jack Markell, Delaware’s congressional delegation, Marine Brigadier Gen. Thomas Weidley, the Wilmington Blue Rocks and actor Gary Sinise, whose best-known movie role was of a military member, “Lieutenant Dan” in “Forrest Gump.”
“I originally thought it would just be our team and perhaps the St. Mark’s track team. It’s really just snowballed into this huge event,” he said.
DiSabatino said he was looking for something to get involved in back in the winter, and his father pointed him toward Stop Soldier Suicide.
The elder Di-Sabatino knows Brian Kinsella, who launched the nonprofit Stop Soldier Suicide after leaving the armed forces in 2010. Four years earlier, Kinsella, a second lieutenant and platoon leader, had a young soldier under his command attempt to take her life, and it had a profound impact on him, according to DiSabatino.
The idea of combining a service project with a fitness aspect came naturally. He said he lives near a gym, so running his mile each day will not be a problem. He also plans on swimming and bicycling for some of his miles.
“We even have a church group that’s going to pray for 22 days,” said DiSabatino, a graduate of All Saints Catholic School. “There’s a lot of ways to get involved. It’s a way to get creative.”
His interest in the military dates back to his early childhood. He could go to one of the service academies or enter through a ROTC unit at a non-military university.
“I’m shooting for a service academy. I’d really like to go to West Point,” he said.
As any campaign in 2015 does, Stop Soldier Suicide Delaware is using social media to help spread its message. DiSabatino has created a Twitter hashtag, #22ADayIs22TooMany, and the organization is on Twitter at @StopSoldierSuicide. He also created a Facebook page, where he encourages participants to post photos of themselves in action during the 22 days.
There is still plenty of time to sign up, he noted.
Each participant is asked to raise at least $50. Anyone who wants to help out can register at donate.stopsoldiersuicide.org/campaigns/955-delaware-runs-to-stop-soldier-suicide.
The money raised will help Stop Soldier Suicide operate its contact center around the clock, DiSabatino said.
