VIDEO: Cocoa Police Agent Doug Monda Nearly Committed Suicide in 2014, Will Share Personal Story
By Space Coast Daily // January 19, 2017
Received help through 'Safe Call Now' program
ABOVE VIDEO: Agent Doug Monda, who nearly committed suicide in 2014, will share his personal story during the two-day Career Protection Resiliency training conference February 6-7 at the Courtyard Cocoa Beach-Cape Canaveral Marriott, 3435 N. Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach. (Cocoa police video)
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA — A 15-year veteran of the Cocoa Police Department will be among the featured speakers at a national health and wellness conference for first responders to be held in Cocoa Beach in early February.
Agent Doug Monda, who nearly committed suicide in 2014, will share his personal story during the two-day Career Protection Resiliency training conference February 6-7 at the Courtyard Cocoa Beach-Cape Canaveral Marriott, 3435 N. Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach.
CLICK HERE for information on how to attend.
Monda joins a cast of other subject matter experts focused on mental health and wellness for first responders.
“I just didn’t want anybody else to do or go through what I was going through,” Monda said. “I was so tired of being in pain physically and mentally and nobody could tell me or show me anything that could make it go away.”
Through friends and support from the City of Cocoa, Monda was able to get help through the Safe Call Now program.
Now he uses the experience as a way to help others. “They came in out of nowhere and said ‘we have your back and we’re going to do whatever we can to help you’”, Monda said of the program.
Agent Monda also uses his athletic ability and passion for law enforcement to draw attention to the cause. His sponsor, MultiRace LLC, is helping him put on an inaugural 5K in Cocoa Village.
The Shine the Light 5K is scheduled for Saturday, May 21st at 7:30 p.m.
CLICK HERE for race information.
The start and finish for the race will be at Riverfront Park in downtown Cocoa. According to Monda, police patrol vehicles will line portions of the course and select organizations representing mental wellness, suicide prevention, drug and alcohol abuse prevention and others will be set up in the park providing information.
The following day, MultiRace will host the 2016 Tri Cocoa Village Sprint and Olympic Triathlon at the same location.
“It’s all about awareness and knowing there is help available if you just ask for it,” Monda said.
“I am so grateful for the people who helped save my life and I want others to see that if I can make it, they can too.”
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ABOVE MAP: Map to the Career Protection Resiliency training conference February 6-7 at the Courtyard Cocoa Beach-Cape Canaveral Marriott, 3435 N. Atlantic Avenue in Cocoa Beach.
