The Department of Veterans Affairs says around 20 veterans commit suicide every day, and a former Marine from Fairfield wants to bring awareness to that statistic.

Charles Roche served as a Marine for eight years. He started out as a motor transport mechanic, toured in Iraq, and ultimately became a drill instructor.

He now works as a personal trainer at Fit Club and also recently got married.

Roche has suffered from PTSD and has lost several friends he served with to suicide, so it's a cause very near to his heart.

Roche will be running a 22-mile loop in 24 hours around parts of Fairfield and Bridgeport on no sleep, with just a few quick breaks.

Roche is hoping to run that path six times by Saturday morning at 8 a.m., raising money along the way for Mission 22, an organization aimed at ending veteran suicide. Twenty-two represents the number of veterans the organization says take their lives every day.

"It hurts to see people committing suicide," Roche says. "There is another side to it. You don't need to do that, there is a better life."

His goal is to raise $22,000.

Roche ran his first 22-mile loop in just three hours.

His wife and dog will join him during the final hours Saturday morning.

If you would like to donate, click here.