Nonprofit gym in Billings working to eliminate veteran suicide

BILLINGS, Mont. – A Nonprofit gym in Billings is working to eliminate veteran suicide.

The Adaptive Performance Center opened on March 2, 2020. Their motto is: “Making what seems impossible, possible. Eliminating veteran suicide.”

Founders Mitch Crouse and Karen Pearson cited data from the U.S Department of Veterans Affairs that said the veteran suicide rate in Montana was significantly higher than the national veteran suicide rate for 2018. The suicide rate for Montana veterans was also significantly higher than the national general population suicide rate.

Crouse and Pearson said the community aspect to the center is working.

“One of our members a couple of weeks ago said, ‘I’ve finally stopped thinking about suicide,'” Crouse said. “‘What I was doing every day was thinking about suicide. And, coming here, I don’t do that anymore because I know I have a place to come and be myself.'”