3,000-kilometre march for PTSD makes a stop in Kingston
After months on the road, Chad Kennedy brought his Sea to Sea for PTSD mission to Kingston, aiming to inspire awareness for those struggling.
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Kennedy, a former law enforcement officer, made a stop at the Echelon Wellness Kingston clinic on Aug. 8 during his 2025 Sea to Sea for PTSD walk. The annual summer walk starts in St. John's, Newfoundland, and ends in Pelee Island, Ontario, to raise awareness for those struggling with PTSD — an initiative he started back in 2022.
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In 2018, Kennedy was diagnosed with PTSD, which worsened after being one of the first responders on the scene of the Columbia Ice Fields bus crash on July 18, 2020. In an interview with the Whig, he touched on his experience with PTSD and what kept him going.
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'On August 2 of 2020, I had my suicide plan,' Kennedy said. 'I was [going] to follow through [but] my dad, who's got Complex PTSD through the RCMP, was sort of my [motivation]. If I were to follow through with my suicide mission, I'd be letting down my dad.'
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The walk aims to raise both awareness and funds, with this year's donations supporting Can Praxis, a veteran-run organization in Alberta offering equine and psychological therapy for families.
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'There's a program going on now called Breaking the Cycle, which is family based. So mom, dad and the kids fly out to Alberta at no cost, they're put up at no cost, and they get a weekend of education and healing together.'
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Kennedy said inspiration for his cross-country efforts comes from the communities he meets and the legacy of Terry Fox.
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'All the days I want to quit, I think back to 'what would Terry Fox do?'' he said.
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Kennedy also hopes to start a scholarship program for young people who have lost a parent to suicide.
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His Kingston visit was part of a partnership with Echelon Wellness, a clinic serving veterans and RCMP members with no service fees.
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'Kingston is a place I've never been, and we've got great partners such as Echelon wellness and CannaConnect, so it was a no brainer. The people that support us, we've got to support back,' Kennedy said. 'They're labeled on the truck, we're proud to carry their name around, and next year I'm hoping for bigger and better things.'
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For Echelon's veteran ambassadors, Patti Pots and Bruce Frampton, the partnership with Sea to Sea for PTSD is about more than sponsorship — it's about having a shared purpose.
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'Anytime you have the opportunity to partner with a cause like Sea to Sea, it's about growing their network and our network and it keeps expanding and growing. To be able to put a face on mental health, it's relatable, it makes people feel more comfortable, it continues to break stigma,' Potts said.
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