Creigh Deeds: I am so determined he is not remembered by the end of his life
Virginia State Senator Creigh Deeds is on a mission to fix America's mental health system. Deeds fought to get his only son Gus the treatment he needed but, instead, he says "the system failed him." Last November, Gus was put under an emergency custody order at a Virginia hospital. When doctors failed to find an available psychiatric bed, Sen. Deeds was forced to bring Gus home. The next day Gus attacked his father with a knife, before turning a gun on himself. Creigh Deeds survived, and told Anderson "there are so many good memories. That's what I need to focus on."
Watch part two of the interview
|
|
Post by: AC360 Filed under: Creigh Deeds |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
I can identify with this Dad's struggle. My mentally ill 13 year old son stabbed me also, cutting both arteries in my wrist, severing tendons and the nerve. I also had stab wounds on my head, and my other hand was sliced as I tried to grab the knife. My son is in residential treatment, but we as a nation need to come up with a better way of recognizing and treating our mentally ill young men so that things like this don't happen. As it is, the system waits until stuff like this happens.
I really feel sorry for this family. We are in the same crisis. As my husband and I watched your show and listened to the interview with Senator Deeds, it was like listening to our own life. Our son would become very withdrawn and play his guitar, he would write a lot in his journal, he would sometimes lose his temper for no apparent reason. He has now been missing since Oct. 9 and we are scared that something terrible has happened or will happen to him. It's very frustrating, like Senator Deeds said, because our son is 26 and, as an adult, we have no way to help him. Our son is the same.....on the dean's list and all of a sudden lost interest in all he had going for him. I don't understand why we must wait until he would possibly get into some terrible trouble or hurt someone before anyone will pay attention.
I'm sorry you are in such a position. I am surprised there are not more responses to your posting. It must be such a scary and heartbreaking position to be in. I am so sorry. My thoughts are with you. I have no answers.
Unfortunately, my comment is still awaiting moderation. I reblogged this and commented. My heart broke when I saw this interview and I couldn't bear to finish watching. Our society is so de-sensitized to mental illness because of the way the media portrays us. I suffer from a mental illness, I have depression. My heart goes out to Senator Deeds, it really does!
Our thoughts and prayers are for sen. Deeds and his family