- I was going to do this for the soldiers
that weren't able to come home to their family members.
And so, by finishing this, I feel like I'm,
in a way, helping them.
I'm ready to be done because I'm a new person,
and I'm going to go be that new person.
[calm music]
[suppressed crying]
- Warrior Expeditions is a veteran non-profit
outdoor therapy program that helps veterans
transition from their wartime experiences
through long-distance hiking, biking,
and paddling expeditions.
When I got out of the Marines,
I hiked all 2,185 miles of the Appalachian Trail.
And, that's where I got the inspiration
to create Warrior Expeditions.
There were three really impactful parts
of my experience while hiking the Appalachian Trail.
The first was, just having the time and space
to process and decompress from my wartime experiences.
The second would be, the opportunity to hike
with other combat veterans that understand
both what you went through in combat, and now
as you're going through the process
of the journey itself.
And then, the third thing was just
connecting with communities along the way,
which really helps to reestablish that basic faith
in humanity that you may have lost.
- I... I have PTSD,
so with everything that I've seen
as a ground medic, and a medevac pilot,
it really burns memories in your brain.
And all the emotions
that are associated
with those sights,
it just sits there.
So, I really want to calm my mind
and not be going a million miles a second.
I would like to, you know,
really process everything that I've been through,
and decompress.
- Every day while you're in the military
you find that you have a purpose.
Whether it's for your soldiers, whatever mission it is.
And, when you're out, that purpose kind of dwindles away.
And, I believe that this journey
will help me find that purpose again.
Getting up, doing things for myself,
and making myself the number one priority
is an expectation that I hope to achieve
by the end of this trek.
[upbeat music]
- Jessica: 1,200 miles is no small trek.
So, just being able to make a goal, and finish it,
for me, is great.
I'm anxious to get out there and start it
and start the healing process.
- I'm pretty sure that we're over our 800-mile mark.
It has been like eye-opening, and overwhelming at times
but in a good kind of way.
[pouring water]
[butane flows and ignites]
- So, about every five days, our veterans
have the opportunity to get off the trail
and be hosted by our community supporters along the way.
Which provide 'em a place to stay,
a place to get cleaned up, and have a hot meal,
before getting back out on the trail.
- We organized a potluck for the hikers.
We thought it would be a really lovely way
to just say, thank you for hiking on the trail
that we voluntarily maintain.
Want to send them off with just a lot of love and support.
And, thank them for, you know,
their service to us, and the country.
- Being on this trail, you meet people,
and they really do give you the most random kindness.
You know, it really puts that faith back into humanity
that I had lost for a little while.
- I am stronger than what I mentally think I am.
Mandy and I have been through so many miles,
and we've been able to push every single day,
with more miles and more miles.
And, still, complete it
with motivation at the end.
- I feel that I am more emotionally prepared
to enter
into a civilian world.
I feel that I'm more open to people,
I am more accepting of people
at this point now than I was before.
[background conversation]
- Man: Would 'ya look at that.
- Come on, ladies.
[clapping]
Yay!
[continued clapping]
- Jessica: Oh, my God.
[laughing and crying]
Oh, my God.
- Man: Would 'ya look at that!
'Ya made it.
- Oh, my God.
You don't know how much that means to me.
Hi, Mom. - Mom: Hi, sweetheart.
- Jessica: You guys.
- Mom: I'm so proud of you guys.
- I'm good. Oh, my God.
- Woman: You did it.
- Thank you, thank you so much.
This is horrible. I'm crying.
- Man: There 'ya go.
[crying quietly]
- We did it. - We did.
- I feel amazing.
I was like, am I going to
make it through this whole trail?
And, we did it, we did it together.
And, that was, I think, the most important thing for me.
- You actually slow down, and you take the time
to like meet people, and talk to people,
and find out what, you know,
what makes them who they are.
That right there has made me develop into a better person.
- I've been able to slow down and realize
that those quiet moments are so much better
than cramming my calendar full of things.
- Amanda: Every step, every mile that you put in,
you feel yourself becoming better.
You feel yourself changing.
- Wholeheartedly, 100%,
I know I'm a lot better right now than when I started.
[soft music]