A retired U.S. Army Sergeant is hiking his way from Florida to Maine to show the world the part of a veteran’s life that is often not talked about.
- Military vets on a 2,200 mile hike to raise awareness of PTSD
- Mike Merritt, Brian Hennessy hiking from Florida to Maine
- 22 vets succumb to suicide each day
It’s been a long road for Mike Merritt since he returned from overseas. Now, with his best friend, Brian Hennessy, by his side, it is his mission to raise awareness for the twenty two veterans who succumb to suicide each day.
“About nine months ago I almost lost my fight with PTSD. I came off all my medications and Brian…he’s just been my best friend since I was 8-years-old,” Merritt said.
The two Lakewood Ranch men—both veterans—plan to walk 22-hundred miles through 14 states, which is the entire length of the Appalachian Trail.
“One day about a month and a half ago, I said, ‘Man we gotta do something.’ I was a sergeant in the military and my job was to take care of maintain my soldiers and the welfare of my soldiers, and when you get out of the military, you lost that. You lose that buddy system,” Merritt said.
The pair started their trek last week with just a few necessities packed into backpacks.
Their goal is to hike up to 20 miles a day and stay in tents and hammocks along the way. If they can keep pace they’ll make it to Maine in five months.
“We’re very motivated and dedicated—carrying this flag the whole way with us,” Merritt said.
They flag they are carrying has the names of the men in Mike’s battalion in the 10th mountain division, who didn’t make it home from serving in Afghanistan.
“A million thoughts go through your head, like can we actually do this? Are we gonna make it?” he said.
But it’s the flag and their friendship that make the two confident they’ll finish the trek.
You can follow their journey on Facebook at Bravo Mike at Hike.