A heart attack changed Nathan French’s life, but not in the way you’d expect. The Navy veteran started walking to recover, and he quickly realized the mental benefits outpaced the physical ones. That discovery led him to walk 22 miles on Veterans Suicide Awareness Day, and eventually to lead a monthly hike for fellow veterans in the Las Vegas Valley.
The group meets on the first Saturday of each month for a three-and-a-half to four-mile trek. On a recent hike, about eight or nine veterans turned out, including a couple of Army vets who had never met before. Within minutes they were trading deployment stories and speaking that shared military shorthand. At the summit overlooking Henderson, the group paused for a moment of remembrance. The hikes are co-organized by the Veterans Social Club, and the group’s Facebook page has grown to roughly 90 followers in a few months.
With veteran suicide rates more than twice the national average, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, this simple model of peer support is worth noticing. The Suncoast is home to thousands of veterans and military families. Could a monthly walk here do the same thing? If you know a veteran who could use a trail and a conversation, reach out. And tell us: what local groups are already doing this work in our community?
