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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

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Cowardice: Father of murdered Navy SEAL reacts to news calls for help were denied three times

October 26, 2012
 Wilson

Writer

Charles Woods was on with Glenn last night on TV and again on radio this morning to talk about the incredibly shocking interactions he had with the President, the Vice President, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Woods goes over those stunning details and also reacts to the breaking news that the administration denied his sons calls for help 3 times. How did he react?

"We have a report in just now that there is a source that has confirmed that there were at least two requests for help sent to the CIA when the attack in Libya commenced. Both of the requests were denied. The two SEALs that went in to help the ambassador went in against orders. They died four hours after the attack began. They report now that two SEALs who were at the CIA annex one mile down the road had a position that they could have coordinated artillery or mortar support but they were told in no uncertain terms to stand down," Glenn told Woods on radio.

Rather than react to the breaking news with outrage and anger, Woods simply called the order an act of "cowardice" that did not represent the strength and character of America.

"That is cowardice by the people that issued that order. And our country is not a country of cowards. Our country is the greatest nation on Earth. And what we need to do is we need to raise up a generation of American heroes just like Ty who is an American hero. But in order to do that, we need to raise up a generation that has not just physical strength but moral strength. We do not need another generation of liars who lack more strength."

"I was just going to say to you, Charles, you have so much restraint and you are a far better man than I am," Glenn said.

"Glenn, I totally respect what you're doing. You're doing this every day. And like I said yesterday, I have to make sure that I have total forgiveness towards everyone. Like I said yesterday after the president spoke, the representative from Libya came up to me and said he was sorry. Afterward I sought him out and I said total forgiveness. I may be coming across a little bit strong, but I sincerely from my heart, I want to have total forgiveness towards everyone, but I also want to see justice and I also want to see the people who were involved change the direction of their lives for the better. I want the best for them as well."

"I hope to be able to shake your hand someday. You are a remarkable man," Glenn said.

Full interview transcript from radio below:

GLENN: Last night, last night I spoke to a man on television who is a remarkable, remarkable man, Charles Woods, father of Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods. Tyrone was killed in Benghazi. Charles is a guy who lives in Kona, Hawaii and has just, has remarkable peace and was not planning on speaking out at all about his son's death in Benghazi, nor saying things about what he experienced on the tarmac as his son's body was coming off of the plane in the flag‑draped coffin. But when he heard that the memos ‑‑ that the White House knew at 5:00 in the afternoon that the Secretary of Defense was in the Oval Office at 5:00 in the afternoon, the president was there, that Hillary Clinton also had these cables that have been released and that CBS has reported and verified that there was a drone in the air. If there wasn't a drone, because now Geraldo Rivera's saying there wasn't a drone, if there wasn't a drone, then that has ‑‑ you have to ask a question: Why wasn't there one? This was a seven‑hour battle. Why was there not a drone? We had people that were stationed and ready to go in Spain and in Sicily. You could have had people to help these guys within the hour.

At 4:00 the White House gets the first notice, at 5:00 another notice. Goes all the way, the last notice is about mortar fire at 11:57 p.m. The White House didn't ‑‑ what, they didn't go downstairs in the situation room? Really? The Secretary of Defense, this is going on, an embassy or a CIA safe house is under attack on September 11th and the Secretary of Defense doesn't have access, the president doesn't have access, they don't go downstairs? Really? We have asked the White House. They haven't responded. They won't tell us where the president was during the attack. We know that he was in the Oval Office at 5:00 with the Secretary of Defense. We know that. Other than that, they won't tell us what the White House did, what the White House knew, they won't tell us where the president was.

We have after this interview last night with Charles Woods, we reached out to Joe Biden's office; no comment. We reached out to the State Department for a comment; no comment. This story is huge, but ABC and CBS and NBC and MSNBC and CNN, they're not going to play this story. They are not going to cover this story. And it is really important that the word gets out because this goes to honor. As you will hear from Charles, he's on hold now as we go to him, I want you to listen to who this man is. I have not been struck by anything that smelled at all like politics. He was not going to speak out... until he started reading the cables.

Charles Woods from Hawaii, how are you, sir?

Woods: Yes. Good morning, Glenn. It's good to speak with you.

GLENN: First of all, how has your night been?

Woods: Oh, it's fine. The one thing I really wanted to emphasize, Glenn, is this is not about politics. Allow this ‑‑ to allow this would be political would be to dishonor my son's death. This is about honor, this is about integrity, and this is about justice.

GLENN: Okay. So you weren't planning on saying anything at all about your son's death and ‑‑

Woods: No. Actually, Glenn, my immediate family had made the decision that we were not going to make any public statements, but as I mentioned yesterday, this week, the past few days it did become public knowledge that within minutes of the first bullet being fired that the White House actually did know in realtime that my son and the other heroes that were defending American lives would be slaughtered and immediate air support was denied. And now it has come out that people in the White House, they knew the capabilities. They knew you that there were C‑130s that were ready to respond immediately. They knew that in less than an hour, the perimeters could have been secured and the American lives, including my son, could have been spared. But, you know, they heartlessly, for seven hours, watched my son and the other American heroes there fight numerically superior forces and they basically watched him die. They knew he was going to die if they did not send immediate air support, and they took the cowardly action: They chose not to do that.

GLENN: So Charles ‑‑

Woods: Then ‑‑

GLENN: Charles, I want to bring you to ‑‑ we'll talk some more about the president and Joe Biden, but I want to bring you to Hillary Clinton because I think this is critical in the timeline of the story. The president said during the debates when Mitt Romney said, "Where were you guys?" And you said that this was a video. And the president came and said, "No, no, no, I did not say it was a video. I said on September 11th that this was a terrorist attack," but ‑‑ and so now the whole media is spinning that, yes, that's really what he said, and everybody's trying to cover for this president. But you say when you were on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force base to receive your son's body, Hillary Clinton came up and spoke to you.

Woods: No. Actually, Glenn, this was not on the tarmac before the president spoke at the hangar that was televised. There was a building, very nice, fairly large room where there were couches in four different areas of that room, and each one of the four families was being represented, was comforting each other in each one of these four pods. And so it was not on the tarmac. It was actually in a building.

GLENN: Okay. And she came up to you and she said what?

Woods: Basically Hillary, she came up to me and, you know, she looked quite frankly very worn out. She came up to shake my hand. I shook her hand and I put my arm around her shoulder and, you know, she did express sympathy, "I'm sorry for what happened to your son" and then she, I guess to comfort me, said, "We will make sure that the person who made this film is arrested and prosecuted."

GLENN: This flies in the face now of everything that they said because now they're saying that they ‑‑ no, they knew that it was attack. Again, this verifies the story that they are now trying to cover that they were blaming it on this video. Did any of them talk to you at all about a terrorist attack, or was it just this film, and is this the only thing that they said about it?

Woods: You know, Glenn, I really don't want to cast aspersions about any particular individual, okay? There were people in the White House who were morally not strong, who watched my son valiantly fight against superior forces for seven hours. There were people in the White House who made the decision to deny their cries for help. I don't want to suggest any particular people. Those people, they know who they are. And they need to have the moral courage to stand up.

GLENN: Can I ‑‑

Woods: So that they can change their lives. Well, Glenn, I did not want to pinpoint any particular person.

GLENN: Okay.

Woods: There are people that did not have the moral strength. They know who they are. My son showed courage. Now it is time for those people to stand up and to make a change in their lives for the better. I don't want to pinpoint any particular person. I do not want this to become political.

GLENN: I understand that and I'm ‑‑ what I'm trying to do, Charles, is just ask for the facts on ‑‑ because this is not political. This ‑‑ to me this is so important because Libya shows that we have changed as a country the way we treat our military. We always go in and get the last man. We always risk all to save. That's who we are as Americans and they are ‑‑

Woods: That's exactly right. And when Ty went into the Navy SEALs, that is what he went in for was to save life, not to take life. When he first went in, he went in to become a medic. Each team, each Navy SEAL team has a number of individuals. Each one of them has a different set of skills. His skill set was to become as skillful as an emergency room doctor. That's why for two years he was with the ambulance service in San Diego with the San Diego fire department, not dressed as a SEAL but dressed as one of them so that he could do that because that is always the policy of the SEALs and every other military operation that they never abandon their men in the field. They never leave anyone behind. That's the way our military works. That's because our military has a high code of ethics.

GLENN: Okay. Can you tell me about what the vice presidents ‑‑ I got yelled at by my wife last night.

Woods: You know, Glenn, what was said was said, and I really don't want to make any more statements. That was ‑‑

GLENN: Okay.

Woods: ‑‑ what was said.

GLENN: But do you stand by ‑‑ I want to make sure that you do stand by what you told me last night.

Woods: Oh, 100%.

GLENN: Okay.

Woods: What I said was quotes, was word for word. I do not speak that way.

GLENN: All right.

Woods: I did not speak those words.

GLENN: Okay. All right. Well, Charles, I thank you so much for your courage to stand up and I hope you don't mind that I said this morning ‑‑

Woods: No, I really ‑‑ Glenn, I appreciate very much what you're doing, and this is such an important issue, I don't want it to be forgotten. I don't want it to be swept under the rug. But all I want to do is I want to honor my son and I also want to give those people who did not have moral strength, the opportunity to voluntarily stand up and show the moral strength now that they should have shown while they were watching for seven hours my son fight while they were allowing my son to be murdered, when they showed a lack of moral courage to send in and respond to the cries for help.

GLENN: We have ‑‑ we have a report in just now that there is a source that has confirmed that there were at least two requests for help sent to the CIA when the attack in Libya commenced. Both of the requests were denied. The two SEALs that went in to help the ambassador went in against orders. They died four hours after the attack began. They report now that two SEALs who were at the CIA annex one mile down the road had a position that they could have coordinated artillery or mortar support but they were told in no uncertain terms to stand down.

STU: Jeez.

Woods: That is cowardice by the people that issued that order. And our country is not a country of cowards. Our country is the greatest nation on Earth. And what we need to do is we need to raise up a generation of American heroes just like Ty who is an American hero. But in order to do that, we need to raise up a generation that has not just physical strength but moral strength. We do not need another generation of liars who lack more strength.

GLENN: Charles ‑‑

Woods: And I hope my words are not too strong for you, Glenn.

GLENN: I was just saying you have ‑‑ I was just going to say to you, Charles, you have so much restraint and you are a far better man than I am. If the rules ‑‑

Woods: No, Glenn, I totally respect what you're doing. You're doing this every day. And like I said yesterday, I have to make sure that I have total forgiveness towards everyone. Like I said yesterday after the president spoke, the representative from Libya came up to me and said he was sorry. Afterward I sought him out and I said total forgiveness. I may be coming across a little bit strong, but I sincerely from my heart, I want to have total forgiveness towards everyone, but I also want to see justice and I also want to see the people who were involved change the direction of their lives for the better. I want the best for them as well.

GLENN: Charles, God bless you.

Woods: Thank you very much, Glenn.

GLENN: I hope to be able to shake your hand someday. You are a remarkable man.

Woods: Thank you very much, Glenn.

GLENN: God bless you. Thank you. I have to tell you something. I think this guy is... I mean ‑‑

STU: Amazing. Amazing.

GLENN: I mean, amazing. Amazing. Listen to that. His son, I just was handed this report in the middle that said they were told to stand down. They were told to do nothing and they were like, we cannot let people just die, our own people just die. And they went in and they had to have known. There's no help coming. They had to have known they were going to go in and fight. And I tell him that, and listen to that man. You can't tell me that's about politics.

STU: No.

GLENN: That is about honor. This is what this race is about. Because that's who we are. You just have to find the honor again. We have to reach higher than what we've reached for. Please, this story is not being told yet anywhere. Please get this story out to everyone you know. Take it. It will be posted up on TheBlaze. Last night's episode was already posted. This will be posted. Take it. Facebook it. Tweet it. Put it everywhere you know, as many places as you can. Send it to everyone you know. This is critical. Because this is really what it's all about and it shows they're lying. In a very dangerous and very callous way.

'We'll get through it...it's in our American blood': 95-year-old WWII vet who survived coronavirus shares powerful message of hope

William "Bill" Kelly is 95-year-old World War II veteran from Oregon. He lived through the Great Depression.
He served in the South Pacific during World War II. And now he has just fought the coronavirus -- and won.

Bill joined Glenn Beck on the radio program Thursday to share his experience and a hopeful message about why the younger generations can overcome this crisis.

"I want to tell the people, it wasn't pleasant, but on the other hand, you know, if you do what you're supposed to do, and you have some loved ones around you, and do a lot of praying, why, you'll come through okay. We [American's] have been through a lot. We've been through Pearl Harbor. We've been through the Great Depression, and who knows what else. We're tough. We'll get through it. Hang in there," Bill said.

"You know, it's just -- it's in our American blood," he added. "We're that type of people. We take care of each other, and we are not going to break down. We're going to make it through, every time. Every time."

"There are people that don't think we are those people anymore. That it was the greatest generation -- your generation -- that did it, but now we're not the same people. Do you agree with that? Glenn asked.

"No," asserted Bill. "And the reason I say that is because I remember when I was a young kid, you know, and people, the older people, said 'all those young kids are soft' ... but when we were attacked at Pearl Harbor -- sneak attack, you know -- it's surprising how those so-called goofy kids turned into mighty fine fighting people. And they're very loyal. I have lots of faith in them ... no, I don't have any problems with this new generation. They'll take care of us. We're Americans."

Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:

In response to the COVID-19 quarantine, BlazeTV is offering our BIGGEST discount ever! Get $30 off your subscription when you use promo code GLENN. Claim your special offer at https://get.blazetv.com/glenn/.

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CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: April 2nd

Glenn gives the latest coronavirus numbers, updating YOU on everything needed to know as Americans and officials monitor China's new COVID-19 virus:

Daily Stats as of 5:30 AM CT (from John's Hopkins)

  • Total Confirmed Cases Worldwide: 950,638 (up from 872,891 Yesterday)
  • Total Deaths Worldwide: 48,289 (up from 43,271 Yesterday)
  • Total Confirmed Recovered Worldwide: 202,631 (up from 184,588 Yesterday)
  • 5% of Active Cases are considered serious (requiring hospitalization) Steady from 5% Yesterday, but down from 19% high back in February
  • Note that 12% of US Confirmed Cases require Hospitalization, roughly on par with Italy at 12% requiring hospitalization
  • US has 215,344 Confirmed Cases and 5,112 Deaths, up from 188,592 cases and 4,056 deaths yesterday
  • COVID-19 is now the 3rd leading cause of death in the US, behind Heart Disease and Cancer (based on daily fatalities per 1,000 people)
  • The United States of America now leads the world in total confirmed cases, with 115,000 more cases than Italy (although Italy leads the world in Deaths with 13,155 officially dead)
  • US is 25th in Total Confirmed Cases per 1 Million Population, with 651 cases per 1 Million people. Spain has 2,583 Cases per 1 Million people.
  • US is 23rd in Total Confirmed Dead per 1 Million Population, with 15 Dead per 1 Million citizens. Italy has 218 Dead per 1 Million.
  • US has 5,112 Dead vs 8,878 Recovered and 5,075 in Critical Condition
  • The US currently has 201,354 Active Cases of COVID-19, with still less than 1% of the total US population tested.
  • 17% of Americans who have been tested have been diagnosed with COVID-19
COVID-19 Now Killing Victims Who Don't Have COVID-19 https://nypost.com/2020/04/02/coronavirus-nyc-emts-stop-taking-cardiac-arrest-patients-to-hospitals/
  • EMTs in New York have been given a directive not to transport heart-attack victims to hospitals if they cannot be revived at the scene.
  • Prior cardiac arrest victims would have been transported to hospitals for further life-saving procedures, but with hospitals being overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients, heart attack victims are solely in the hands of local EMTs. If EMTs cannot restore a pulse at the scene, victims are to be left there to die.
  • "Artificial ventilation and/or compressions must not be delayed," the memo states, adding that chest "compressions must begin as soon as it is determined the patient does not have a pulse."
  • But the guidelines change if the patient cannot be revived before arriving at a hospital.
  • "In the event a resuscitation is terminated, and the body is in public view, the body can be left in the custody of the NYPD."
China Lied, People Died Trending on Social Media https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-01/china-concealed-extent-of-virus-outbreak-u-s-intelligence-says
  • US Intelligence Services has concluded what the Internet has known since January: The Chinese Communist Party lied about total infected and total deaths due to Coronavirus.
  • Citing a report provided to the White House last week, officials confirmed that US Intelligence concludes 'gross' underreporting of total cases and total deaths, especially from Hubei Province.
  • Many have speculated that numbers coming out of China, Iran, North Korea, Russia and other totalitarian countries have been dramatically underreported, by as much as a factor of 10 according to official British Intelligence reports.
  • The early misrepresentation of data by the CCP may have lead some Western Politicians and epidemiologists to underestimate the seriousness of COVID-19 and delayed response in Italy, Spain, the UK and the US.
  • Though why anybody would have believed anything the Chinese Communist Party had to say remains an open question...
Italy's Death Toll Far Higher Than Reported https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italys-coronavirus-death-toll-is-far-higher-than-reported/ar-BB122vvc
  • In the town of Coccaglio, an hour's drive east of here, the local nursing home lost over a third of its residents in March. None of the 24 people who died there were tested for the new coronavirus. Nor were the 38 people who died in another nursing home in the nearby town of Lodi.
  • These aren't isolated incidents. Italy's official death toll from the virus stands at 13,155, the most of any country in the world. But that number tells only part of the story because many people who die from the virus don't make it to the hospital and are never tested, therefore they aren't included in official numbers.
  • "They were all sick, they all had flu-like symptoms and difficulty breathing," stated a nurse from one of the nursing homes. "We had no ambulance to get them to Milan."
  • In the areas worst hit by the pandemic, Italy is undercounting thousands of deaths caused by the virus, a Wall Street Journal analysis shows, indicating that the pandemic's human toll may end up being much greater, and infections far more widespread, than official data indicate.
  • As stretched and sometimes overwhelmed hospitals fight to save their patients, many other people die unseen and uncounted, including elderly people in out-of-the-way locations.
  • In addition, the health-care crisis can lead to a surge of deaths from other causes that would normally be treatable.
  • "There are many more dead from the virus than are officially declared... People died and they were never tested because time and resources are limited," Eugenio Fossati, deputy mayor of Coccaglio, says of deaths caused by the virus.
More Numbers Hard to Trust as Bodies Left On The Streets in Ecuador https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3078077/coronavirus-bodies-are-being-left-streets-ecuador
  • Coronavirus: bodies are being left on the streets in Ecuador.
  • 'They fall in front of hospitals or in back street alleys, or in small villages…no one wants to recover them,' says the mayor of Ecuador's largest city.
  • The army is placing unclaimed bodies in refrigerated cargo containers at the port while authorities pursue plans for a new cemetery.
  • The corpses have been overwhelming Guayaquil, a port city of 2.8 million at the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in Ecuador.
  • Over the last few days, several were wrapped in plastic and left on the streets. Others have lain unclaimed in hospitals and clinics that have been overwhelmed by infections. The city morgue is full.
  • The majority of the dead are believed to be victims of the virus, but nobody can say for sure how many. There has been little testing.
  • The country has confirmed 2,700 infections and 93 deaths - 60 of them in Guayaquil and its immediate surroundings. But municipal officials there said they have recovered at least 400 bodies in the last 3 days.
  • Mayor Cynthia Viteri, who announced that she has also tested positive for the virus, said the national government should be responsible for collecting the corpses.
  • "They're leaving them in the villages, they are stacked in front of hospitals," she said in a Twitter video message to residents late last week.
  • Many local villages in Ecuador are simply burying the dead in unmarked graves, which will make official counting of COVID-19 victims impossible in the weeks ahead.
50% of Viral Spread Comes from People With No Symptoms https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/01/health/us-coronavirus-updates-wednesday/index.html
  • Researchers in Iceland have confirmed earlier reports from Hong Kong that a significant amount of viral spread is caused by carriers who have no symptoms.
  • In the US, Doctors at the CDC have confirmed asymptomatic spread, but estimate a number of about 25%.
  • If true, then the case for all persons to wear masks, even those who don't have symptoms, becomes much stronger.
  • To prevent further spread, the top infectious disease expert in the US says health officials are reconsidering guidance on face masks.
  • Dr. Anthony Fauci said he would "lean towards" recommending that the general public wear face masks "if we do not have the problem of taking away masks from the health care workers who need them. The public can stay home to avoid infection, but health care workers cannot," he said.
  • "We're not there yet, but I think we're close to coming to some determination," Fauci said.
Ship vs Train... Ship Wins https://abc7.com/usns-mercy-coronavirus-train-crash-derailment/6069395/
  • A Locomotive Engineer in Los Angeles has been charged with 1 Count of "Train Wrecking", a Class A Felony under Federal Law, after purposely derailing his freight train while attempting to sink the US Hospital ship Mercy.
  • Eduardo Moreno, 44, intended to hit the ship, saying he thought it was "suspicious" and did not believe "the ship is what they say it's for.'"
  • Moreno admitted to crashing the train intentionally but said he did not plan it out in advance. It is believed that he acted alone.
  • He allegedly made statements to a CHP officer that included "You only get this chance once. The whole world is watching. I had to. People don't know what's going on here. Now they will."
  • Officials say video from inside the train's cab shows Moreno holding a lighted flare during the incident.
Biggest Issue With COVID-19 in Malaysia: Nagging Wives https://www.npr.org/2020/04/01/825051317/dont-nag-your-husband-during-lock-down-malaysias-government-advises-women
  • Malaysia has the largest number of COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia with more than 2,900 and counting.
  • This week, Malaysia's government also had a serious public relations issue after an ill-conceived plan went online.
  • Malaysia's Ministry for Women, Family and Community Development issued a series of online posters on Facebook and Instagram with the hashtag #WomenPreventCOVID19. It advised the nation's women to help with the country's partial lockdown by not nagging their husbands.
  • The ministry also advised women to refrain from being "sarcastic" if they asked for help with household chores.
  • Additionally, the Ministry urged women working from home to dress up and wear makeup.
  • After some negative response on social media, the public service messages have been removed from the Ministry's Facebook page.

'I want to go right into the hurricane': MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is NOT afraid to speak out about his faith

MyPillow inventor and CEO Mike Lindell was lambasted by the left and mainstream media after he announced at a White House press briefing on Monday that his company will start making tens of thousands of masks to fight against the spread of coronavirus. Lindell also thanked God for President Donald Trump and encouraged Americans to turn back to God in this time of crisis.

Read the details here.

Whether it was his support for President Trump or strong religious beliefs, no one has lit up the media quite like Mike Lindell. He joined Glenn Beck on the radio program Monday to talk about the president, the 'horrible, crazy media' and how he's not afraid to keep speaking out about his faith.

"I think people are going to quit being brainwashed by this horrible, crazy media -- they know who they are -- and the public is going to see the amazing job that our president is doing," Lindell said. "I've done interview after interview today. I'm taking all the bad ones on -- I think I'm going on 'The View' tomorrow I love it. I want to go right into the hurricane. Finally, I get to speak out for Jesus like I want to."

Watch the video below to catch more of the conversation:

In response to the COVID-19 quarantine, BlazeTV is offering our BIGGEST discount ever! Get $30 off your subscription when you use promo code GLENN. Claim your special offer at https://get.blazetv.com/glenn/.

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.


The next pandemic: Suicide during COVID-19 crisis

Pixnio

News broke that German Finance Minister Thomas Schaefer reportedly committed suicide on Saturday due to the stress from the economic climate during the coronavirus crisis. Unfortunately, this headline may become more common place. Concerns are far beyond those of just hand washing, finding toilet paper and the latest White House briefings. There may be a secondary crisis growing — mental health and suicide.

Messages fill my inbox daily from parents worried about their teens showing signs of risk of suicidal ideation. Spouses concerned about the toil recent layoffs will have on their partners. Elderly family members are also vulnerable.

Last week, news a father of three dying by suicide made me want to scream to the world – "LISTEN!" We are losing too many of our human family. And I am afraid with COVID-19 on the scene, we are going to lose more than ever.

During the past six years — following the suicide of my 40-year-old sister — my mission has been to bring awareness and help prevent suicide. Everyone is exposed to suicide. You either struggle with depression/anxiety, you love someone that struggles, or like me, you have already lost someone to suicide. That is literally everyone on the planet. Bigger numbers than even the virus.

Little known fact. Springtime is a peak season for suicides. Even compared to the holidays.

Little known fact. Springtime is a peak season for suicides. Even compared to the holidays.

So, pile on the constant stream of news, stats about COVID-19 deaths and a lock down on social distancing, even the most emotionally skilled individual may be drowning in vulnerability and at risk.

What can be done?

Social distancing, not isolation

Even though we are standing 6ft apart in the grocery stores, and no longer going to church together, humans need connection to survive.

Free communication apps like Marco Polo are a great way to not hide behind a text. Whether it is on video chat or old fashion letter writing, making connection a priority is crucial for our survival.

Emotional check-in

The new normal seems to be changing by the hour. It is hard to keep up, recalibrating with all the change. Just like the importance of taking temperature to check for virus symptoms, we need to monitor our emotional temp. Try the one word check-in, at dinner time, simply by asking, "How am I feeling today?" It can be a great barometer.

Naming our feelings keep them tamed.

It's Ok to not be Ok

It is crucial to our survival to frame this crisis with a mental health back drop. Suicide, depression and anxiety concerns should be at the top of the STAY HOME and STAY SAFE list. If you find yourself feeling helpless or having thoughts of self-harm, please reach out for additional support. Therapists are using online formats to serve their clients. Call your doctor or one of the many 1-800 numbers.

No one is an extra, disposable member of our human family.

If you are reading this and struggling. Please remember, we will never be better without you. No one is an extra, disposable member of our human family. We will make it thru this COVID-19 crisis stronger and closer than before. No longer will we take hugging our neighbor for granted.

And maybe, just maybe we will someday find the vaccine that stops suicide virus from spreading.

Ganel-Lyn is a public speaker, media personality & author