GILMER, Texas (KLTV) – Nationwide in 2023, nearly 6,400 veterans died by suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. An Upshur County nonprofit organization called Counting Stars Ranch is dedicated to helping veterans and their service dogs find friendship and healing for improved mental health. One way they’re working toward that holding an event this weekend in Gilmer to raise awareness of the issue of veteran suicide.
Since 2021, Counting Stars Ranch has helped hundreds of veterans, first responders and their families cope with PTSD.
Recently the group, including Larissa Riley, decided they needed to increase awareness about suicide.
“We had a tough year in 2025. We lost some of our own. And suicide prevention has really been on all of our minds,” Riley said.
To that end, they put together a ruck, which is basically a hike with a backpack, to bring attention to the issue of veteran and first responder suicide.
“We want to bring awareness to the 22-plus a day veterans that we lose. Our first responders are kind of an unrecognized demographic that really struggles with mental health, compassion fatigue, PTSD,” Riley said.
Riley says they plan on making it an annual event, and in coming years hope:
“That it’s big enough that we aren’t taking up the sidewalk but we’re filling the street with people filling a rucksack and hiking to bring awareness to this issue,” Riley said.
Suicide is one of many topics discussed at Counting Stars Ranch R and R monthly weekend get aways, which are free for veterans and their families.
“They come in and they stay with us Friday through Sunday. We plug into some R and R activities. As you gathered on the way out here, there is very little cell phone service so they’re kind of forced to be unplugged,” Riley said.
This weekend’s Family Ruck starts at Gilmer’s Abney Park at 9 a.m. And that rucksack? Well, they’d like to see it filled with canned goods to be donated to their food pantry after the hike.
It’s $25 to take the 2.5- or 5-mile hike which starts at Gilmer’s Abney Park, located at 505 Abney Street,Saturday at 9 a.m. Veterans and first responders can participate for $15. To sign up, click here.
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