Over the past 100+ years, much has been said in the newspapers and in government about the special relationship between the U.S. and Great Britain. In March 2023, Home Base and TAPS joined forces with Liverpool Football Club (LFC) to bring special meaning to this characterization.

Leaders from Britain’s National Heath Services, U.K. Armed Forces Football Association and Angela Ruskin University joined us and TAPS with LFC and the LFC Foundation to honor Families of the Fallen from the U.S. and U.K. through a series of events, culminating in LFC’s Charity Legends Game versus Celtic Football Club.

The high point of the weekend occurred on Saturday morning, when the British Legion hosted a wreath laying ceremony at the Liverpool Cenotaph at St. George’s Hall – a memorial to those who had fallen in the First World War – where the Families laid a wreath to honor their loved one (photographed below).

The bonds of war, sacrifice and loss transcend continents, realized through Home Base’s care of U.S. Veterans over the past 13 years and, more recently, British Veterans over the past four years.

“Since 9/11, more than 20 times the number of Veterans from the U.S. and U.K. have died by suicide than the two countries’ combined combat casualties of the past 20 years.” said Home Base Chief Operating Officer Michael Allard. “This has left a wake of traumatized and grieving Families throughout our two countries. Shockingly, resources for these Families are typically slim and those who have had Family Members from the Military who have died by suicide traditionally have not had a lot of options.”

“Since 2017, Home Base has partnered with TAPS to fill this gap by creating the first of its kind Intensive Clinical Program to care for these Families – all at no cost. We are sincerely grateful to LFC and the LFC Foundation for their dedication to Veterans and their Families. The charity match featuring LFC and Celtic Football Club helped shine a light on those who have lost a Military loved one to suicide. It is our hope that this momentum will grow support and awareness for our programs that provide the lifesaving clinical care needed for these Families to reclaim their lives and be made whole again,” said Allard.

Nothing captures this bond of sacrifice more than our U.S. and British Families who have lost loved ones to suicide. Home Base has served as a beacon of hope and healing to our survivor community and we are grateful for our partnership with TAPS along with a growing partnership LFC to reach new communities who need our care and support.