July: Alive Day

Alive Days, for members of our military, are the anniversaries of the date a combat veteran nearly died in service to our nation. A majority of the veterans served as part of the Catch A Lift mission have an Alive Day. This month we’ll be sharing information and resources for honoring these days.  

For veterans, an Alive Day may serve as a reminder of the loss of their old way of life, and the need to adapt to a life that may now include physical or invisible scars. While some choose to celebrate this day, others may still be processing the loss of not only their old way of life, but also the loss of their fellow service members, and may find the day filled with sadness and grief.

If you are the spouse or family member of a veteran who is dealing with grief and loss on their Alive Day, let them know that you are there for them, and encourage them to live their lives in their friend’s honor. Help them figure out ways to honor those they lost, while also enjoying life. For friends who have been injured or lost someone close to them on their Alive Day, let them know that you are thinking of them. Some veterans may deal with survivor’s guilt, if they survived an event that others did not. An Alive Day can be a reminder of this fact, and can be difficult to deal with.

Any event or injury that leads to a close brush with death can be life-changing. Recognizing such an event with an Alive Day can help veterans and their families come to terms with the event, and to acknowledge the difficulties of life after an injury. An Alive Day is a personal event, and should be acknowledged in any way that the veteran is most comfortable with. Friends and family members can help by being there to listen and support their veteran as much as possible.

While an Alive Day can be a difficult anniversary, ultimately it is a time to celebrate a veteran’s life and the fact that they survived. Here at Catch A Lift we consider it a solemn duty to hold these days as days to honor those who have given so much for their fellow Americans. 

If you are a veteran in crisis please reach out to the Veterans Crisis line at 800-273-8255 or click on the icon on the right hand side of the page.