Saturday marked the 12th annual ‘Hike to Remember’ in Glastonbury – an event that aims to put an end to veteran suicide.
Saturday marked the 12th annual 'Hike to Remember' in Glastonbury – an event that aims to put an end to veteran suicide.
It kicked off at 5:30 a.m. on Chestnut Hill Road. Hundreds of military heroes came together to hike 22 kilometers through town.
"Twenty-two kilometers is the national average of veterans who commit suicide every day, which correlates to 13.1 miles, so that's why we do it," said event organizer Manny Jimenez.
Jimenez is a Marine Corps Veteran and Purple Heart recipient. While serving in Afghanistan in 2010, he was injured in an explosion that caused him to lose his left arm and hearing in his left ear.
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Rehabbing in the hospital, seeing a lot of guys go through different injuries, you can see how fast a veteran can 'cocoon' himself. I always called it the 'cocoon effect'. You know, it's like they don't think anyone is out there for them," said Jimenez.
But he says this event aims to tackle those negative thoughts and feelings. Jimenez has been at all 12 hikes, which have grown tremendously over the years, from a couple people when it first started to more than 300 participants like there were on Saturday.
Organizers say the goal of the hike is to create that support system for veterans and current service members. Doing the hike together on Saturday were two sisters who inspired one another to serve the country.
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"This is one of the best events that I ever participated in with the military, and last year was in honor of a friend of mine that took his life," said SFC Retired Lisa Richards, of Lebanon.
"The comradery alone. Once you're in the military, you're all brothers and sisters. And just getting together, the comradery, it's a feel-good event, and I'm happy to be a part of it," said SFC Jennifer Schmidt, of Lebanon.
These sisters got to see just how far their fellow brothers and sisters go to spread the message of hope.
"The veteran network here has just been so strong," said Jimenez.
The event was hosted by the Peter P. Monaco Jr. Detachment 40 of the Marine Corps League, a group that supports veterans and their families. This year's fundraising goal was $30,000 to provide resources for vets in need.
