020: Kenneth Lou Koon
Manage episode 407469192 series 3560716
Kenneth Lou Koon started Stop Suicide USA in 2012 after experiencing something he never anticipated: suicidal ideations. Saved by his son, he was moved to do the same for others. He wrote a curriculum on suicide intervention (Listen, Learn, Lead) and now trains leaders and organizations on how to help save others from ending their own lives. Through Stop Suicide USA, he has trained over 26,000 individuals and personally conducted more than 2,000 suicide interventions. For his efforts, Kenneth was inducted into the University of North Georgia Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018.
Kenneth was my first chaplain in the Army Reserves and I have experienced his expert care and leadership firsthand. He retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and now serves full-time with Stop Suicide USA. He and his wife Sherry have four grown sons, two of which are active duty with the US Air Force, one a veteran of the US Coast Guard and the youngest a fire fighter/EMT with the Atlanta Fire Department. They have six grandchildren and make their home in Sharpsburg, GA.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicide, please reach out to Kenneth at (678) 283-4293 or call the National Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. For more information or to request training for your organization, please visit www.stopsuicideusa.com
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