When Chad Kennedy stepped onto the road April 26 in St. John’s, N.L.,, his goal was simple but profound — to keep a conversation going that, for many, remains too hard to start.

A non-combat veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces and former law enforcement officer, Kennedy recently completed his second Sea to Sea for PTSD cross-country walk. The Crowsnest Pass man’s 135-day journey, aimed at breaking the stigma surrounding mental health battles among those who serve, concluded Sept. 7 in Windsor, Ont.

Kennedy carried out his mission by walking from community to community across Eastern Canada, meeting with veterans, first responders and civilians to break the silence surrounding post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Didn’t walk as much as I anticipated, but still got in about 3,200 kilometres,” he says. “You always want to do more, but as we grow there’s more focus around the awareness and conversations.”

Personal journey drives mission

The veteran’s journey through service, trauma and recovery is deeply personal. After joining the CAF in 1991, he faced severe hazing during basic training that left invisible scars. Kennedy carried this trauma into his later career in law enforcement.

Diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety in 2018, Kennedy spent years suppressing his symptoms.

The tipping point came when he was among initial first responders at the scene of the 2020 Columbia Icefield bus crush. He spiralled even deeper into PTSD, anger, anxiety and depression.

In the aftermath, he nearly took his own life before deciding, instead, to turn his struggles into a means of raising awareness. Kennedy saved himself and deliberately chose to start conversations that many, both in and out of uniform, are afraid to have.

Over time, he has grown more comfortable sharing the most difficult parts of his story, including many details of the hazing that were hidden for decades.

“For 30 years I didn’t talk about it. I was scared to tell that portion of my story,” he explains. “And you know what? Nobody retaliated. It was just another part of the conversation.”

Opening difficult conversations

Kennedy has travelled across the country, stopping in communities big and small. From Royal Canadian Legion branches to wellness lounges, he has held information meetings with strangers who quickly became friends.

“When you get into small towns, people don’t really know how to talk about mental health or where to start,” he says. “For a lot of veterans and first responders, it’s still a struggle to open up. But once they do, they start realizing they’re not alone.”

Kennedy’s openness and willingness to be vulnerable is the foundation of his advocacy, which, in turn, has inspired others to be vulnerable in their own right.

Female veterans, in particular, have approached him to discuss experiences with sexual assault and trauma, stories many had buried for years.

“It’s really eye-opening when you share stories of your own struggles and all of a sudden you’ve got others coming up to you and sharing their stories,” Kennedy says.

Powerful connections can save lives

An encounter in Sydney, N.S., exemplified the impact of connection when a paramedic struggling with complex PTSD came to one of Kennedy’s talks this year as a last hope for help. Kennedy connected him to a peer support group in the province, potentially saving his life.

“The hug that man gave me, the emotion behind that and the thank you, it was probably the most sincere thank you I’ve heard from another human being,” Kennedy says. “To this day, that gentleman is still with us on the right side of the dirt.”

Another powerful moment came in Windsor during a Canadian Mental Health Association walk for Suicide Awareness Month.

While speaking to about 1,000 people about suicide — a deeply personal subject he refuses to soften or sanitize — Kennedy shared that nothing was in his head and how he was simply going through the motions when he was in that suicidal state years before. He encouraged those who have lost someone to suicide to stop seeking answers about why.

He told them closure would never be found by doing so. His words resonated with the crowd, particularly with one woman who spoke to him afterward.

“She’d been looking for answers on the loss of her son for four years,” Kennedy says. “She told me that what I said gave her closure. Man, I cried — I buckled.”

While his experience has touched and impacted countless people, he continues to learn as much about himself as he does about others.

Next mission expands focus to children

Kennedy’s 2026 Sea to Sea journey will pick up in Sarnia, Ont., and head west to Vancouver Island, with a pre-walk event in the United States that will see him cross from Montreal into Vermont and New York before returning north.

This leg will raise money for education programs supporting children in public safety and military families affected by suicide. Kennedy wants to help these children and keep them focused on their future.

“When you meet loved ones who’ve survived their parents passing from suicide, it turns their world upside down. It’s about helping secure their future,” he explains.

Remembrance Day thoughts

With Remembrance Day approaching, Kennedy reflects on what the day means to him as both a veteran and a mental health advocate.

“It’s a time of mourning. It’s truly a time to remember,” he says.

“A lot of our veterans come home with those invisible wounds. I survived what I went through in the armed forces and in law enforcement, but just being at the ceremony and showing my support is huge to my veteran friends. It’s about camaraderie and about saying, ‘Hey man, you’re not forgotten.’ ”

Ultimately, Kennedy hopes Canadians carry forward a message of kindness, compassion and connection this Remembrance Day as they honour and reflect upon the sacrifices made by the men and women who have served.

“You have no idea what battle somebody is going through,” he says. “The simple gesture of a wave, a smile, a hello — it goes a long way. Just be kind to one another.”

To learn more about Sea to Sea for PTSD or make a donation, visit www.seatoseaforptsd.ca.