Sunday, July 1, 2018

‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Devoted to Reducing Suicide

‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Devoted to Reducing Suicide

Santiago Cirilo and Garrett Smithley
Collaborate to Help Military Veterans

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“I just want everyone to understand that twenty to twenty-two veterans die every day of suicide. We are trying to let the world know that it doesn’t slow down, not even on your patriotic days. You do not have to support ‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ but please just look into how to slow this down. . . . how to destroy this number and bring it to zero - Santiago Cirilo


‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Devoted to Reducing Suicide
On the 4th of July, Independence Day, Santiago Cirilo will re-emphasis 'his Go-Fund Me' campaign in an effort to reduce the number of Military Veterans’ suicide deaths to zero. So how does this actor, who is also Army Infantry Veteran, Martial Artist, Writer, and Host proposing to accomplish this daunting feat – Santiago wants to make a movie.

After a military brother and best friend took his life, the Puerto Rican born Cirilo wrote a story about how hard it is to come home after military service. He is hopeful that with backing from his fellow veterans, Fort Knox Kentucky, Fort Campbell Kentucky, and the amazing people of Harrodsburg Kentucky, his dream will become a reality.

“I served in the military for eight years, Santiago detailed. My homecoming was rough. I did not know where to go really. However, I got a job at Gibson Guitars in Nashville. But it was still hard, going from being a leader to a company in civilian life. . . I kept my head down and could not look people in the eye. In the military you do your mission with little rest. I had to learn to slow down and not do things like I was still in the military. It took a while to shake it off and be myself.”

The movie entitled ‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ will feature Santiago Cirilo, who portrayed 'Julio' in season 4 of the hit series, ‘The Walking Dead’ and Garrett Smithley best known as a NASCAR Xfinity Series driver.

Santiago Cirilo portrayed 'Julio' in season 4 of the hit series, ‘The Walking Dead.’


As a huge ‘TWD’ fan, NASCAR Race Mom was thrilled by the opportunity to speak with Santiago. I was not disappointed. Santiago Cirilo presented as an honest and dedicated warrior for positive change.
Santiago caught the ‘acting bug’ while working for Gibson Guitars. It started out as a part-time distraction to help keep him happy. He did some local commercials before acquiring an agent. He praised God and quantified that he was just lucky that his name was out there when ‘The Walking Dead’ started filming in Georgia.

“I was working on something for Fox, when TWD hired me . . . I did not even have to audition. I worked on the Dead for about a month and a half; yet really did not know how big the show was. I was just doing my day job as a paralegal and fitting in my acting gigs, Santiago chuckled. At the time I was sleeping in my car at the Wal-Mart parking lot and eating Ramen Noodles and then overnight, I was signing autographs and being flown everywhere.”

Santiago got involved with NASCAR as a fan, during his second year in the military. It was his service buddy’s passion, which Santigo inherited upon his friend’s death. Recently, Cirilo met Georgia native Garrett Smithley through networking. Smithley told him about his #0 racecar and nickname ‘Nuthin’ (Smithley’s car # is zero.... so he always says he's making somethin' out of nuthin'. #MakeNuthinSumthin

“I was like OMG, this is what I am trying to do . . . bring the suicide rate down to zero - nothing. . . that was my big theme. Though a Radio NASCAR interview, I found out that Garrett is also an actor. It just could not get any better than that. This guy will play the young bad guy!”

‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Devoted to Reducing Suicide

Garrett Smithley comes from a military family. Both of his grandfathers were in the military and his father is a pilot who flew a lot of civilian military jobs for his employer. He is not new to acting. His mother has a theatrical background and young Garrett did his first show, ‘Music Man’ when he was just seven.

Auspiciously, Garrett, who sits nineteenth in the point standings, races the NASCAR Xfinity Series No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro for JD Motorsports. Therefore, it seemed like Divine Intervention that Cirilo was able to recruit him to participate in the project whose goal is to reach ‘Zero’ military veteran suicides. The plan includes putting the film’s poster on Smithley’s Xfinity Race Car in 2017.

Cirilo’s main goal is to give back and save lives through entertainment. ‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ is phase one - part one of what he is doing with the Cirilo 7 Entertainment Network. The ‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ project will utilize Go Fund Me  to obtain the $70,000 startup capital needed to press forward.


“I am not asking everyone to donate money, Santiago explained. If they could simply share this story with their friends . . . that would help tremendously.”

This project is dedicated to hiring Veterans first and forty percent of film and merchandise earnings will go to help Homeless Veterans and Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Santiago Cirilo promises to include documentary style testimonials from actual veterans, regarding their real-life experiences, at the end of the movie as an extra special scene reminiscent of the Marvel movies. After all, ‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ is all about Veterans and improving their lives when they return home.


‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Story

‘A Veteran’s Homecoming’ Devoted to Reducing Suicide
After two years overseas, Daniel Santiago is leaving the army to marry the wrong girl and to start a new life in the wrong town. But fate steps in. His fiancée dies and riddled with guilt Daniel disappears.

Now after seven years Daniel comes home. He must finally deal with his guilt and the traumatic stress serving his country created.

Daniel's faith guides him as he copes with family issues and financial problems. He develops close ties with other veterans and falls in love with his fiancée's twin sister.

‘A Veteran's Homecoming: The Story of Daniel’ is a man's journey facing the challenges of life while keeping Faith with his Beliefs.

Santiago Cirilo stars as Daniel. Garrett Smithley will be cast as the “bad guy.”


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1 comment:

Unknown said...

My brother is a Vietnam veteran he went through some hard times. They deserve to be treated like the heroes they are no Soldier should ever come home and have to feel like suicide is their only way out it breaks my heart they are truly the heroes of this world not the movie stars you see on TV but the real heroes I hope everyone will read this and help as much as they can God bless you all and especially God bless our veterans they need all the help they can get they were there for us now we need to all be there for them bless you have a blessed day everyone