The Marine Corps League honors fallen brother

 

South Bend, Ind. -- A story that will live with the Marine Corps League forever is that of Jason Rhodes. A Marine veteran that was one of the youngest members of the Marine Corps League of South Bend took his life in 2019.

“He told us that was one thing he had never thought of wanting to do to himself and he turned around and did it,” Johnnie Moody of the Marine Corps League says.

Rhodes is the one that got Moody to be the Commandant for the Marine Corps League's South Bend location. 

According to Moody and other loved ones, Jason was always the energetic and fun person to be around but he had an internal struggle that he held inside, it all started that Tuesday.

“I was playing pool and one of his buddies from Missouri called and said he needed to be checked on because he's worried about it so they call the club here and the bartender called me,” says Moody.

Even after several phone calls and text messages, there was no answer from Jason.

Moody said Jason was normally the type of person to answer on the first ring, so he acted himself in going through Jason's unlocked back door and searching the house. 

Moody recalls, “I put my hand on the doorknob and get ready to turn it off so I can turn the door knob and push the door open stuck my head in and I use the f-bomb I said no the F you didn't.”

In honor of Jason,  the Marine Corps League put together a scholarship fund for veterans who have children that were left behind due to their passing.

“We got a scholarship fund going on that we are we started and what we gonna do is any veteran I mean any veteran that has kids left behind we will help take care of them,” Moody tells me.

For those who have experienced suicidal thoughts, there is always help. The Suicide Prevention hotline is available to reach at 1-800-273-8254.