09-04-2025
‘Let's Walk it Out' walks 222 miles for suicide prevention awareness
JACKSONVILLE, N.C.- 'Let's Walk it Out' is on a 10-day, 222 mile walk to spread suicide prevention awareness for military and first responder communities.
The walk is from Fayetteville to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and back to Fayetteville with an average of 21 to 24 miles walked daily. Tuesday, Apr. 8, 2025, is day six of the march back to Fayetteville. The goal is to mimic the mental strain these groups often face through physical challenges.
JP Cervantes is the founder of 'Let's Walk it Out' and an Army veteran. He said after he retired, he noticed other groups doing events for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
'It doesn't matter what I mentioned, the one thing that always came out of them is like they don't understand my pain,' Founder of 'Let's Walk it Out,' Army Veteran, JP Cervantes said. 'The word pain kept coming around. I was like, well, how can I mimic the pain?'
Cervantes originally was going to walk the 222 miles himself in 2021, but friends and sponsor quickly jumped into help. Now there are volunteers and core walkers made up of veterans and service members all looking to help spread the message. Some of those walkers have their own mental health struggles that come from their time in the military, but told us that the walk helps work through their issues.
'We just think about all different kinds of things that come up as we're walking. Some we talk about some we process internally,' Core Walker Leader Ricky Herbet said. 'I think it's just understanding that we're carrying the pain of those that can't do this anymore. We're walking for those who aren't here anymore, who we want to carry on their legacy and their name.'
You can donate to the groups mission and work using this link here.
You can track the group's walk using this link here.
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