Changemakers
The Road to Valour
An army veteran who survived mental illness is helping to support others whose professions expose them to trauma.
Photo: Darren Hull
For Garry McCracken, joining the military was more an expectation than a choice; serving our country was simply what McCracken men did.
But there had also been a terrible cost. McCracken’s paternal grandfather, a multi-decorated WWI hero, returned from war suffering from shell shock, a form of PTSD that was poorly understood and had no known treatment. The after effects of his unhealed trauma – passed down through the generations – led to lifelong mental health issues for his descendants, including Garry.
During his own time in the military, McCracken could never divulge his inner struggles. “If I’d mentioned having a mental disorder, the only treatment I would’ve gotten was a boot to the butt and out the door.” While the army has now changed for the better, the peer pressure still says to keep silent. “It’s the machismo,” McCracken explains, “and it’s not just the military; it’s first responders, too. There’s too many that are suffering, too many suicides, too much bravado.”
Just as in the army, our first responders must present a strong, calm exterior no matter what horrors and dangers they may face. No wonder so many of them develop stress-related mental disorders. Yet, even now, there are scant resources available to support these heroes and help them heal.
Some years ago, McCracken narrowly survived his own suicide attempt. Fortunately, with help from a close friend plus his own determination and resourcefulness, he regained his zest for life. “To treat my head, I used the dopamine, endorphins, adrenaline, and everything else that comes with running.”
When a friend encouraged him to start talking openly about his experience, he took their advice. One day, a woman he’d never met stopped him in the street and told him that he’d saved her life. She’d been contemplating suicide but had overheard McCracken sharing his story with a group of friends. It inspired her to not give up. To this day, McCracken is unable to relay this encounter without weeping. It was the point at which he knew he’d never again let the stigma of mental illness silence him.
Now in his golden years, and long since retired from the army, McCracken celebrates life’s milestones by giving back. For his 65th birthday, he organized a triathlon to raise funds for charity. For his 70th, he sponsored a blood drive. When a knee replacement forced him to abandon running, he embraced bicycle touring. His “Battlefield Bike Rides” have raised over $50,000 and awareness for the vital work of Wounded Warriors Canada, an organization that provides mental health support for active and retired trauma-exposed professionals and their families. For his 75th birthday next year, McCracken will honour Canada’s war heroes with a 2500-kilometre, 42-day unsupported bike ride from the Seaforth Armoury in Vancouver to Valour Road in Winnipeg. Along the way, he aims to raise a further $75,000 to support his fellow veterans and first responders. To learn more about the project and to support him visit www.TheRoadToValour.ca.
