SWFL deputy, veteran seek to help the hopeless through song

One longtime Lee County Sheriff’s Office deputy and Navy veteran is trying to prevent suicides and he’s using music to reach people.

These chords can’t take away the trauma of losing a loved one to suicide, but Michael Brock hopes hearing his song about it inspires people to get help.

“If one person listens to that song and says, ‘You know what, I don’t want my family my friends or other loved ones to feel like that,’ because depression knows no demographic, suicide knows no demographic. It happens all across the board,” he said.

The lyrics are inspired by Brock’s experience in the Navy and in local law enforcement.

“All the suicides that I’ve been on in my career, which have been quite a few, unfortunately,” he said. “The song is specifically saying, ‘Why did you really need to do that? Couldn’t you find hope? Couldn’t you turn to me?'”

Fellow veteran and retired police officer Ray Cerbone is happy to lend his voice and guitar to the track.

He hadn’t met the songwriter until they were both brought into the studio to make music, free of charge, thanks to another veteran’s non-profit, “Hero Song.”

“I bleed Army green and support Hero Song,” said Army veteran and Hero Song director, David Sundby. “The fact that it mixes music with helping first responders and all of the military folks to use music as an outlet.”

“That’s my therapy,” said Brock. “It was like the clouds opened up and a rainbow came down.”

He hopes his song brings light to those who feel left in the dark.

Brock wants to encourage anyone suffering to reach out to the suicide hotline (1-800-273-8255) or local law enforcement’s “Blue H.E.L.P.”

If you know a veteran or first responder who could benefit from music therapy, click here to head to the Hero Song website.