ALABAMA (WHNT) – ‘Phase One’ of Coast Guard Veteran Robert Luna’s mission to raise mental health awareness for military members and veterans is complete.
“The battle was won but the mission is far from over in the fight for mental health awareness,” said Luna.
Luna walked 2,200 miles from Alabama to Los Angeles, California. Each step with a goal to raise mental health awareness and monetary donations to get veterans and current service members the resources they need for counseling.
After five and a half months of trekking across the country, Luna completed his last mile to reach his destination, Coast Guard Base Los Angeles Long Beach on October 17.
Along the way Luna encountered thousands of strangers that he says became lifelong friends and a support system during his walk. From the hundreds of free hugs given out to the people opening up their homes to provide a safe resting place, Luna tells News 19 that the best thing about his journey was the love and support of his fellow Americans.
“This journey has wholeheartedly renewed my faith in humanity,” said Luna. “The everyday meeting somebody new, every day getting a hug from somebody new…every day crying with somebody because they were struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts, or a mother that lost their kid to suicide and they look at me as their kid going on this journey.”
And it wasn’t just people that gave Luna the strength to finish his walk. Full of emotions, Luna recalled his time in Muscle Shoals where he was feeling “lost”. Be he found motivation in the most extraordinary way.
“Something magical happened. I got surrounded by butterflies and one or two landed on me and they started landing on my cart and they stayed with me for two miles. “I knew then that I was going to have an amazing journey.”
Phase Two is the start of Luna’s non-profit, The AL2LA Foundation. This phase is centered around mental health resiliency within military veterans. He plans to start in the state of Alabama and grow on a national level.
You can learn more about Luna’s upcoming journey and mental health tips here.
