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The Death of the Military Man Who Always Emphasized the Importance of Family.

Author: Alexa Demi
by Alexa Demi
Posted: Apr 28, 2017

Florida, U.S.A. April 18th, 2017---The true struggle behind the passing of John Sellinger, a man who would work over hours, just so his peers could incorporate some family time into their military lifestyles, is that he will never be able to spend another Christmas with his own family ever again. Misunderstandings regarding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are not uncommon, as new discoveries pertaining to those who struggle with PTSD arise every day. However, unfortunately it is becoming less of a rarity for lives to be taken away, due to misconceptions and mishandling situations, and sadly by those we trust to secure our safety the most. This is what happened to military veteran and family man, John Sellinger.

Just days after Christmas of 2016, a weapon deemed to temporarily incapacitate, also known as a Taser, forever diminished a father and his son’s daily morning ritual of watching cartoons. John Joseph Sellinger Sr., born June 7, 1982, and who served the U.S. military for 10 years, was always a man of the community. Survived by his wife, Laura, who recalls: "there’s nothing that came before his family. And his family wasn’t just me and his son, it was also his airmen…And what they needed and what they wanted…which means their families. My husband was the first person to volunteer if somebody else needed to stay home…for a wedding, or a funeral, or a birthday event. He would make sure that people got to see major parts of their family’s lives." John Sellinger was considered an all American man of good character and morals by his family, friends, and neighbors. His death was a major shock to the community.

When word came out that John Sellinger went missing days before the New Year of 2017, people were concerned for his safety. Not their own, but his. People were worried about John. John had been struggling with Military-induced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and something, not drug-related, triggered so much distress that John left. There is a definite correlation between PTSD and the Fight-or-Flight Response, as explained by VeryWell.com, "when people experience something traumatic and/or have PTSD, they may no longer feel as though the world is a safe place. It may feel as though danger is everywhere. As a result, a person may constantly be in a state of fear and anxiety. For this reason, cognitive-behavioral treatments for PTSD often focus a lot of attention on altering the ways in which people interpret their environment. Mindfulness may be another way of "taking a step back" from thoughts, reducing their power to activate the fight or flight response." Something initiated John’s Fight-or-Flight response, and it activated his flight mode.

John Sellinger was not missing, he was on the run. A man who was in so much fear, that he needed to escape, to the point where the things he valued the most were left worrying. His family’s concerns quickly turned into a tragic reality. When John was in distress and needed help the most, and although trying to be stopped and calmed down by other civilians, the situation turned sour with excessive force from local deputies. Though it was clear at the time that John’s behavior was bizarre, as he would enter into stranger’s vehicles trying to move forward then move on to the next vehicle, his PTSD was completely overlooked. No investigation was done regarding John’s medical standings prior to having been pepper sprayed, and shocked twice with a Taser, both aimed straight to the chest. John Sellinger, who was proud American and Air Force Veteran, was rushed to the hospital, where he died just days before he would have celebrated the New Year with his loved ones, his family.

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    About the Author

    Defeated in December 2016 by two Taser shots to the chest, 34-year-old Air Force Veteran, John Sellinger, lost his life and chance for new memories with his 18-month-old baby boy, after distress turned into excessive force.

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Author: Alexa Demi

Alexa Demi

Member since: Apr 28, 2017
Published articles: 1

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