[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 26, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S3616]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO STEPHEN HOLMES

 Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am honored to recognize Lt. 
Stephen Holmes of Candia as July's Granite Stater of the Month. 
Stephen, a Marine Corps veteran and a firefighter, is working to 
destigmatize mental health among first responders by visiting New 
Hampshire fire departments and sharing his own experience dealing with 
PTSD.
  At age 17, Stephen enlisted in the Marine Corps infantry and went on 
to serve three tours of duty in Iraq. On his return home 4 years later, 
he wanted to continue helping others through public service and decided 
to join the Exeter Fire Department. However, it soon became clear that 
he was struggling with serious symptoms of anxiety, depression, and 
anger, and he was diagnosed with PTSD at the Manchester VA.
  Stephen took a leave of absence from the Exeter Fire Department due 
to his mental health, and during this time, Stephen's wife gave him a 
book on meditation, which turned out to be his saving grace. After 
trying many other therapeutic techniques recommended by his doctors, 
Stephen found that meditation worked best for him to help him feel at 
peace.
  Stephen did not stop there. After returning to the Exeter Fire 
Department, he wanted to use the lessons he had learned to shed more 
light on the issue of first responders' mental health. With the help of 
other Fire and EMS professionals, Stephen began visiting one fire 
station after another to share his mental health struggles and the 
importance of seeking care. Already, many of his peers have started 
receiving mental health treatment, Stephen's story having provided the 
push that they needed and the validation that it is okay to need help.
  Many first responders might believe that they cannot seek help, since 
they are the ones that the rest of us rely on in a crisis. However, 
first responders often need mental health care precisely because of how 
high-pressure their jobs are and the suffering that they see, which is 
why Stephen's work is all the more important--he is sharing his 
firsthand experiences, breaking down stigma, and letting first 
responders know that it is okay to seek the care that they need.
  Stephen exemplifies the Granite State spirit of commitment to 
community and person-to-person advocacy to bring about positive change. 
I am deeply grateful, as I know his fellow first responders are, for 
his bravery and compassion in sharing his personal experiences, and I 
look forward to seeing how he continues to change people's 
lives.

                          ____________________