Veteran walking across the country to bring awareness to veteran suicide and homelessness

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A Navy veteran who is walking across the country to raise awareness about veteran suicide and homelessness is in southeast Wisconsin. 

Tommy Zurhellen says he walks about 22 miles a day in recognition of the 22 veterans who die from suicide every day. 

Tuesday morning he left from The Steaming Cup coffee shop in Waukesha, making his way to Milwaukee's lakefront. 

"Well, I'm a veteran, but until I became the commander of the local VFW I really had no idea the challenges our veterans face in my community. I figured if this was going on in my hometown in New York, it had to be going on all over the country, so I wanted to do something big to raise awareness and get the facts out to the people. You know we all support veterans, but we don't know how much they need," Zurhellen said.

Zurhellen is the Commander of VFW Post 170 in Poughkeepsie, New York. He started his journey in Portland, Oregon and plans to end in New York on August 23.

In total, Zurhellen plans to walk more than 2,860 miles. 

For more information about the walk or to donate to veterans in need, please visit veteranzero.org.