On Sunday morning, one year to the day that U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Janos Lutz died at 24, his mother Janine Lutz was surrounded by several hundred people, including many military veterans, who showed up at Western High School to pay tribute to her son and the way she has chosen to remember him.

Lance Cpl. Janos Lutz was a Western High School Graduate class of 2005.  Lance Cpl Lutz served for five years and was deployed to Iraq and Afganastan including one to southern Helmand province in Afghanistan, where he and his 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fought the Taliban and suffered several casualties.  Upon his return from his 3rd tour he was treated for Post Tramatic Stress Disorder.  On January 12, 2013 Lance Cpl Lutz committed suicide.

His mother Janine Lutz has become dedicated to raising PTSD awareness.  In a statement on her website she says, "With more than 150,000 Veteran suicides something needs to change NOW!  I must share what I have learned from losing a life that was most precious to me."

When Ms. Lutz asked Mr. Arrojo in September to use Western High School as the starting point for The First Annual LCpl Janos V. Lutz PTSD awareness ride he was very pleased to say yes.  Western High School would like to thank Sergeant Jackson and the Army JROTC Wildcat Battalion cadets for presenting the colors at the ceremony at C. B. Smith Park.  We would also like to thank Daniel Larco, a senior in Mr. Tracey's Advanced Band Class who played Tapps during the ceremony.

Please go to ptsdawarenessride.org for more information on this event.