Surfmen’s Silent Battle | Virginia Beach News

A grieving daughter’s fight to expose a hidden crisis in the Coast Guard: her decorated surfman father died by suicide after years of deteriorating mental health she believes stemmed from repeated head trauma from his high-risk job. Kayleigh’s investigation reveals a disturbing pattern among fellow surfmen — memory loss, anxiety, mood swings — symptoms often misdiagnosed as stress. Despite the physical toll of navigating deadly waves daily, the Coast Guard has long lacked formal protocols for brain injury assessment. Though new initiatives are now emerging, progress is painfully slow. Kayleigh’s personal tragedy has become a rallying cry for systemic change — to protect the brave rescuers who risk everything, and ensure their sacrifices don’t end in silent, devastating decline. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/1753f2aac9d4cb5a