SAN ANTONIO — New details have emerged regarding the tragic death of Enrique Ramos Jr., a 33-year-old former Marine who took his own life outside the Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio.
Ramos, who had been struggling with mental health issues and difficulties in accessing treatment, is the second veteran to die by suicide at this location this year. His death underscores the broader issue of veteran suicide, which occurs at a rate one and a half times greater than among non-veterans.
Jessica Hayes, who worked alongside Ramos for four years, expressed regret for not pushing harder for him to receive the help he needed. She shared a poignant Instagram post from Ramos, in which he addressed his friends and family: “I love you all, and there’s nothing you could have done to prevent this. So I don’t want any of you blaming yourselves that you could have stopped my death.”
Dr. Larry Miller, whose son Mark also took his life in a similar manner earlier this year, believes both Ramos and his son were sending a message about the need for better support for veterans. “They are failing our veterans,” Miller said.
Congressman Tony Gonzalez echoed the call for change, stating, “We need a new VA Hospital. The number should be zero when we talk about veteran suicide, and it’s not.”
Local resources like the Circle of Arms are available to support veterans in San Antonio. Larissa Martinez emphasized the need for structural change, saying, “It comes from meeting veterans where they’re at and providing faster access to care before they do hit the breaking point.”
The VA hospital has stated that the incident is under investigation by law enforcement and had no further comment at this time.