Local organization discusses the impact of trauma on our heroes at first-ever conference

HENDERSON, Ky. (WFIE) – Dozens of law enforcement officers, veterans and first responders gathered at the Preston Arts Center on Tuesday for a nine-hour conference.

It was hosted by the Defending Heroes Project, a Henderson-based nonprofit that helps our heroes in uniform suffering from trauma, PTSD and suicide.

This conference had the same goal.

“Our organization focuses on the mental health of our heroes. The job demons are losing far too many,” said founder Joe Whitledge.

For comparison: every day we lose an average of 17 veterans who take their own lives.

This is according to the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Report.

“We lose far more first responders at our own hands than are killed in the line of duty,” Whitledge said.

Including people here in the Tri-State area.

“We have to do something about this, so I want to make sure that we don’t stop working not only locally, but even at the state and national levels,” Whitledge said.

He says this means ending the negative stigma around asking for help in your field.

“I want them to know first, ‘Hey, we can talk about this.’ “Hey, there’s a solution for this,” Whitledge said.

One of the speakers, former police officer Matthew Griffin, is living proof of this.

About seven years ago, Griffin was homeless. He says he has been consumed by work-related trauma and his partner recently committed suicide.

“I also went down that path and wrote my suicide note, and my four boys almost grew up without a dad because of everything we saw in law enforcement,” Griffin said.

About seven years later, Griffin is alive and standing on stage at the Preston Arts Center, talking to dozens of police officers, firefighters, first responders and veterans to give them hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel for them too.

“This is the first step,” Griffin said. “Get the first responders in your community out here and tell them it’s okay, it’s okay to not be okay.”

Participation in the event was free of charge.

If you are a veteran, first responder, police officer, firefighter or military member and are struggling with any trauma, you can contact the Defending Heroes Project through their website Here.