The parents of Zachary “Zac” Sewell, a Tennessee advanced EMT who recently died by suicide, are fundraising to start a nonprofit that helps first responders struggling with mental health, News Channel 9 reports.
Sewell spent roughly a decade in EMS, working at CommonSpirit Memorial and later Puckett EMS in Chattanooga. His parents said he was passionate about helping others but struggled with the cumulative stress of years spent responding to traumatic calls.
“He just had a heart for everybody else, couldn’t stand when somebody else was hurting,” his mother, Karlin Sewell, told News Channel 9.
The nonprofit aims to connect emergency workers with mental health resources before they are in crisis, and reduce the stigma that often prevents first responders from seeking support.
Statewide, Tennessee is implementing a new mandatory mental health curriculum for EMS students beginning July 1. The eight-hour program is designed to better prepare providers for the psychological demands of the job.
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