BALLWIN, Mo. — Honeybees may be helping veterans cope with PTSD. A St. Louis nonprofit said beekeeping could be beneficial.
Army Captain Jeremy Idleman is the founder of the organization called Bee Found.
It all started when he shared his troubles with his uncle when he came back from serving overseas.
"When I got back from Iraq in 2005, I had some issues. I actually got the idea from my uncle who was doing beekeeping since he was 12. He asked me, 'Have you ever thought of being a beekeper?'" he recalled.
That's when he started beekeeping. Idelman said the experience of it is calming.
Soon enough, he was swarmed with an idea: to create the nonprofit called Bee Found. The program called 'Bees for Bravery' would help veterans.
The therapeutic benefits of beekeeping help veterans with PTSD find a focus and an outlet.
"It personally helped me, so I thought it could help other veterans with PTSD. We're literally saving lives," Idleman told 5 On Your Side.
After serving our country, he wanted to continue serving, but this time, for his brothers in arms.
Eric Bergandz was deployed to Iraq in 2002.
"We had a helicopter shot down while was in Iraq. I try not to burden my wife or family with the issues I had," he said.
That's why he jumped on board, after hearing the buzz of the St. Louis nonprofit.
"This was a great way for me to kind of get a little more purpose, focus and it's very calming," Bergandz explained.
Bergandz is grateful to work on a hobby that's helped him cope with the sting of trauma, especially on Memorial Day.
"For those who gave us the ultimate sacrifice, to give us this freedom that we can enjoy today," he added.
Idleman hopes to continue helping others and ultimately, save lives.
"Really the goal of Bee Found is to prevent more of these veterans from being remembered on Memorial Day, because we want them to stay with us," Idelman said.
If you're interested or know anyone who could benefit from this, the organization called "Bee Found" said to reach out and they'll help right away.
You can check out Bee Found online here. You also can learn more about donating here.
In 2018, NBC shared a report saying, veterans are twice as likely as civilians to die by suicide, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.