09/30/2026
Every Mile Carries a Name
For Jon, the One Mile Challenge isn’t just about completing his daily mile — it’s about honoring those we’ve lost to su***de and acknowledging the footsteps that should be landing next to our own as we make our way through the month.
A Marine Corps veteran and Guardian Revival Champion, Jon first discovered Guardian Revival through its outdoor program, Another Summit, and eventually got involved by sharing his fieldcraft expertise with other guardians in the program.
He first joined the One Mile Challenge in 2022. As he walked during the challenge, Jon found himself thinking about the friends who’d lost their lives to su***de, and, over time, those reflections became a deeply personal practice — dedicating each mile to a guardian who is no longer here.
Every September, Jon writes the name of someone who has died by su***de at the top of his calendar and the distance he plans to cover beneath it. Some days are for friends that he knew personally, and others are for people he never had the chance to know, but whose lives still matter and deserve to be remembered.
Sometimes the dedication is planned; at other times, a person is simply on his mind — “If that person is on my mind that morning when I wake up, it’s just, ‘Okay, today’s for them.’”
Jon has known the lasting impact of loss throughout his life and service and has had to find ways to keep moving through difficult moments.
Yoga, meditation, time outdoors, physical training, and endurance events became his path forward — practices that provide him with space to reflect, reconnect, and find purpose.
But that doesn’t mean the challenge is easy for him.
As Jon put it: “There are too many people that I have a personal connection with who chose to end their own lives. I really hate doing this because it’s so personal. But it’s important — I have to push through because they can’t be here to walk.”
Even though it’s hard and even though it hurts, Jon goes out every day and names his mile because he knows these losses don’t happen in isolation — they leave an indelible mark that stays with those who served beside them, loved them, worked with them, and are left only with their memories.
“You ask most any vet — or first responder — it’s not a matter of if you get a phone call — it’s when you get a phone call.”
And that’s where the beating heart of the challenge lies for Jon — it’s not just about pushing through the pain and honoring those he’s lost; it’s also about making sure these miles lead to action.
Jon’s miles are an act of remembrance, but they are also a reminder to look after the people walking beside us.
“I hope that people understand that su***de for the veteran and first responder community is an epidemic issue that needs to be addressed,” Jon said
Every day walked, each mile covered, and every story shared is a way to make visible the alarming scale of su***de in veteran and first responder communities and the far-reaching impact it has on those who are left to carry on in the absence of their loved ones.
This September, take a moment to remember someone, check in with someone, or make space for an honest conversation. Walk a mile if it helps. Share a name if you feel able. Reach out when someone comes to mind — consider donating to support Guardian Revival’s work with veterans and first responders.
Your support helps create opportunities for connection and continued pathways toward healing.
No one should have to carry grief, pain, or crisis alone.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or thinking about su***de, call or text 988 in the United States, or chat at 988lifeline.org, to reach the 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and their loved ones can contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling 988 and pressing 1, texting 838255, or chatting online.
