Thanks to kind and generous people like you, Aussie veterans like Ben will always have a Lifeline. Thank you.

After Ben returned home from East Timor, his mental health got worse, and worse, and worse. Serving with the Australian Defence Force, he witnessed atrocities that stayed with him. And he admits he came close to becoming another statistic. Another Aussie veteran who tried to take their own life.

But when Ben decided to contact Lifeline, it set a course of action into place. And it turned his life around. After a year in hospital, dealing with his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Ben came home to his family.

“I achieved my goal of getting home for Christmas. I just remember that feeling of coming home with my wife and just seeing my kids and being in my own house, with my own bed and my own animals, and I don’t know… just hugging my kids. I mean, I don’t think there are enough words, or the right words, to describe that.”

Since Ben reached out to Lifeline for help, he has turned his life around, winning two gold medals for Australia at the Invictus Games. Ben went on to receive the honour of being appointed as an Ambassador for Australia Day and is now a passionate advocate for mental health and Lifeline.

Without Lifeline Crisis Support, Ben knows he would likely not be here today. He is so grateful for your generosity. And so are we.

If you, or anyone you know, needs a Lifeline, please reach out for support.