Published on December 22nd, 2015 | by Kayak Session
For the love of water
For the love of water. By Russell Davies.
Since I have left the military, I have been on quite the journey. I spent over four years serving my country as a Infantryman on the front lines. For the greater part of two of those years I served overseas, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. During those years over seas I was given a Purple Heart. After everything I experienced, it was difficult to transition back to the civilian lifestyle. In all honesty, if it wasn’t for whitewater kayaking, it would have made the transition more difficult.
Kayaking, to me, is how I escape. I love the heart pumping adventure of being in the middle of nowhere, locked into deep canyon walls with nothing but massive whitewater ahead and a small group of people who you can trust with your life. You get out of it what you put into it, just like the military. The other paddlers become your brothers and the river becomes your battlefield. Plan your route, be on point, and stick your line. It all sounds good in theory, but just like in a combat zone, the situation can have you scrambling and holding on with everything you got. Counting on your buddies and praying you make it out. There is no greater feeling then coming out of such chaos with some of your closest friends, who without a doubt, become like your family.
This is how my dream was born. I live for these moments and they have become a part of my life. Similar to the way someone requires thirst, the desire can be quenched, but only for so long before they need their next fix. However, when I spoke to my friends who were struggling hard with PTSD and depression after getting out, I realized that a lot of my Brothers didn’t have this Alternative Passion. It has become apparent to me that I need to use my experiences to raise awareness to other veterans; to everyone. There are twenty-two SUICIDES a day from veterans alone! The reality is that one unnecessary death is one too many and something has to be done!
Professional Transformation Sports Development (PTSD) is a page that I have created for all veterans. The page is intended to showcase extreme Vets around the U.S that are still out there pushing the boundaries and raising the bar in sports. The goal is for more Vets to get motivated, get engaged, and meet other athletes who are also passionate about their desired sports. We want to show these heroes that they can make positive changes in their lives and that they have the power to overcome PTSD.
So give this video a watch. This is my Life. This is my Adventure. This is my escape. What gives me clarity and helps me find a way to move on and move past. Nature and sports are my therapy. Share this Message with everyone and let’s raise awareness and get the word out to veterans so that we can reduce that number of suicides. It takes just a moment and could help save a life.
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