Description
It is time to give back to those who make the ultimate sacrifices for our freedom and wellbeing. Mental Health Miles presents a virtual 50-mile challenge and fundraiser dedicated to helping veterans who are living with mental illnesses. Join us to make a difference in the lives of those affected.
Each participant’s goal is to run a collective 50 miles throughout the month of January while raising money to support veterans living with mental health conditions. This is often the price of defending our freedom.
Not a fan of running? Get creative! Walk, bike, swim, paddle, bear crawl (we've heard it’s a thing)! Help us spread the word by sharing your progress, photos, fundraising links and more.
This year all proceeds will be donated to Mission 22, a non-profit dedicated to healing America’s Veterans when they need it most—right now. Mission 22 offers treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and any other conditions our veterans face. For more information on Mission 22, please visit their website.
Our Story
Mental Health Miles aims to become a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness for veterans living with mental health conditions and fundraising for their care.
Mental Health Miles was founded after the loss of father, son and friend Roy Richard Cooper Jr. Roy lost his battle with PTSD, taking his own life on October 9, 2020. Roy retired from the U.S. Army National Guard as Sergeant First Class in 2012, serving a total of 22 years. During his service, he completed four tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“SFC Cooper was the greatest Leader. He had led in combat and the whole platoon looked up to him. He was always looking out for us, gave us so much of his knowledge, we all had eminence respect for him. He was charismatic, strong, tough, witty, smart, lively, funny. He was our Superhero of 1st Platoon. He taught me so much, he knew his Army stuff like he wrote the manual on it. He could make us laugh, and his smile was infectious.”
In the months leading up to his passing, Roy had been going on long runs almost daily. It wasn't until he passed that his family realized he had been working towards a specific goal—run 50 miles for his 50th birthday. Sitting on his desk was a stack of papers, the first one read "Tell no one, this is for you alone!.. 50mi. for 50th birthday. Jan. 22." The following papers were a log of runs he had completed, his training plan, a list of local trails and running routes, and plenty of motivational quotes from David Goggins.
Now in celebration of Roy’s life and to help those in similar situations, we will run a collective 50 miles in the month of January. All donations raised during January will be donated to Mission 22.
Virtual Challenge Contact Info
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