The recent passing of a highly decorated U.S. Army Special Forces soldier highlights the urgent need for better mental health support for our service members, especially during challenging times like the holiday season. The Green Beret, who served his country with distinction, tragically died in a Tesla near the Las Vegas Strip following a difficult personal crisis.

Livelsberger enlisted in the Army in 2006 and served on active duty until 2011. He then had stints in the National Guard and Army Reserve before returning to active duty in December 2012 as a special operations soldier, the Army said. During his Army career, Livelsberger deployed twice to Afghanistan and served in Ukraine, Tajikistan, Georgia and Congo, the Army said. Among his awards: Five Bronze Stars, including one with a valor device for courage under fire; a combat infantry badge; and an Army Commendation Medal with valor. […] A law enforcement official said investigators learned through interviews that he may have gotten into a fight with his wife about relationship issues shortly before he rented the Tesla and bought the guns. …Livelsberger rented the Tesla electric vehicle in Denver on Saturday, and the sheriff displayed a map showing that it was charged in the Colorado town of Monument near Colorado Springs on Monday. On New Year’s Eve, it was charged in Trinidad, Colo., and the towns of Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Gallup in New Mexico, along the Interstate 40 corridor. Then on Wednesday, the day of the explosion, it was charged in the Arizona towns of Holbrook, Flagstaff and Kingman before video showed it on the Las Vegas Strip about 7:30 a.m.

As much as we should be talking about the more than 20 people in the last few months alone who died in a Tesla yet were almost completely ignored by this car company, their brash statements have been generating attention in this case for some of the most unfortunate reasons.

The incident has drawn attention not only for its circumstances but also due to deeply insensitive comments from Tesla’s CEO, who chose to publicly mock the highly decorated service member’s death rather than acknowledge the serious issues of mental health challenges facing our military community.

Such outrageously callous remarks about a soldier who dedicated his life to serving our country are particularly disturbing given Tesla’s CEO’s recent history of anti-military anti-American rhetoric. Just days before this tragedy, while Livelsberger was on leave from his station in Germany, Musk published controversial statements in German media praising the return to an extremist political party – remarks that drew unprecedented criticism from German officials for aggressively endangering democratic institutions that U.S. military personnel are stationed there to protect.

The South African-born [white nationalist Musk] wrote… “Only the [new Nazi Party] can save Germany.” […] The editor of the centre-right newspaper’s opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, posted… she had submitted her resignation in protest at the decision to run the article. Politicians from across the political spectrum criticised Musk’s attempts to put his thumb on the scales of German democracy, with the health minister, Karl Lauterbach, of Scholz’s Social Democratic party (SPD) calling his intervention “undignified and highly problematic” and Merz saying it was “intrusive and presumptuous”. Merz told the Funke media group: “I cannot recall in the history of western democracies a comparable case of interference in the election campaign of a friendly country.”

The American soldier’s final journey, which took him through multiple states during New Year’s Eve – a particularly challenging time for many dealing with mental health issues – serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of supporting those among us going through crisis.

This map of the route taken in a truck full of camping equipment and highly flammable/explosive material into the desert, illustrates the importance of recognizing warning signs and the need for proactive support especially during leave and holidays.

Mental health emergencies deserve understanding and compassion, not ridicule. Livelsberger was carrying his identification with him and left a note saying “this was not a terrorist attack”, which was known to Tesla senior staff… making investigation of his suicide a quick and simple matter that demands proper respect and consideration.

This tragedy should serve as a call to action for better mental health resources and crisis intervention, especially for our veterans and active duty personnel.

While there continue to be very valid discussions to be had about the lack of vehicle safety in a Tesla, the focus now should remain on the loss of a valued member of our military community and the broader issue of mental health support for service members.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, trained counselors are available 24/7 at 988, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Military service members and veterans have a Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 then pressing 1, or texting 838255.