Growing up, I was always taught to hide my pain. In my childhood environment, vulnerability was seen as a sign of weakness, especially for men. As a teenager, the struggles that ran through my family’s history—addiction and depression—began to creep into my own life. While I was able to avoid falling into the familial pattern of addiction, depression slowly took hold of my mind, and I wasn't equipped with the tools to fight against it.

There were times when I felt trapped in my own thoughts for months, consumed by mental pain. On the outside, I kept up the persona of the silly, goofy kid that everyone knew me as. But inside, it was a different story. I rarely let anyone in, and whenever I did, I’d shut down the conversation by claiming I was joking, or by pretending it wasn’t serious.

It all came to a head on the night of September 21st, 2019. In a moment of complete despair, I found myself writing a secret note to my loved ones, fearing that my mind was on the verge of bringing me to a point of no return. I didn’t know what else to do. But somehow, one of them sensed something was wrong. That very night, out of the blue, that person sent me the suicide hotline number—like a sign from the universe.

Though I have never shared this with that person, their message saved me at that moment. When I eventually emerged from the depths of my depression and returned to my "normal self," I made the conscious decision to talk openly about my depression, with both loved ones and, at times, even strangers. This vulnerability has allowed me to bring my pain out of the shadows and reach out for help when I need someone to lean on in those low moments.

This is why I’ve decided to partner with Team Movember on these two adventures—to help other men bring their battle with mental health into the light and feel more comfortable having tough conversations. I don’t believe I’d be here today without that person who reached out to me during that dark time in my life. I hope to be that person for someone else, or at least help provide the resources and awareness needed to help fight the stigma of men’s mental health.

On October 12th, I will be running in the Chicago Marathon for Team Movember to challenge the silence around men’s mental health struggles and support their work in suicide prevention.

On January 5th, I will begin the adventure to bike over 8,200 miles across South America, from Cartagena, Colombia to Ushuaia, Argentina for the same cause. I expect this journey to take 5 months and I will be documenting the entire trip on social media to continue to promote awareness of men’s mental health.


Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Your support means the world—whether it's through a donation or simply checking in with the men around you. Every action counts in the fight for better mental health.

*Every dollar donated will go to Movember to advocate for Men's Health, not my bike ride*