HONORING THE FALLEN FIGHTING FOR THE LIVING

Carter's story is his own. But sadly, the struggle that took him is one shared by far too many Veterans and military families across our country.

The most recent data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs reports that 6,398 Veterans died by suicide in 2023—an average of 17.5 Veterans every day.

But numbers like these can be easy to read and even easier to forget.

Behind every number is a person. A name. A story. A family.

Someone's husband or wife. Someone's son or daughter. Someone's parent. Someone's battle buddy. Someone's friend.

And the numbers tell us something else we can't afford to ignore.

61% of Veterans who died by suicide in 2023 had not received VA health care in the year before their death.

A 2024 VA study also found that 14.3% of Veterans reported experiencing suicidal thoughts within the previous year.

And for Veterans under the age of 45, suicide was the second-leading cause of death in 2023.

These statistics are difficult to read. But they're exactly why awareness—and community—matter.

Suicide prevention can't happen only inside a doctor's office or VA facility. It must happen where Veterans live their lives.

At home. At work. Among friends. Among brothers and sisters. In military and Veteran communities. And anywhere someone has the opportunity to notice that a person they care about isn't quite themselves.

Sometimes it starts with a phone call.

Sometimes it's checking in on the friend who's gotten a little too quiet.

Sometimes it's sitting beside someone and asking:

"How are you REALLY doing?"

And being willing to stay long enough to hear the answer.

That's why we ride.

We ride to keep this conversation going. We ride so the Veterans in our community know they are seen. We ride to remind people to check on their people—not just when something seems wrong, but before there is a crisis.

And this year, we ride with Carter's name and story beside us as a reminder of just how much one life means.

Melon’s Annual Veteran Suicide Awareness Run is where remembrance and awareness come together.

Every mile ridden in Carter's memory is an opportunity to say his name, share his story, start a conversation about Veteran suicide and remind another Veteran that asking for help that WE are here for them.

We cannot change what happened to Carter. We cannot bring back the Veterans we've already lost.

But we can remember them. We can stand beside the families who carry their loss.

And we can fight like hell for the ones who are still here.

YOU MATTER. YOU ARE NEEDED. YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FIGHT THIS BATTLE ALONE.

FOR CARTER. AND FOR THE ONES STILL FIGHTING.

This year, we ride for Carter.

For his Wife. For his Daughter. For his parents, siblings and family. For his RED HORSE family.

For every person who knew that smile and wishes they could see it one more time.

We ride for every family that knows this kind of loss.

But we also ride for the Veteran who is still here.

The one who may be struggling silently.

The one who may need someone to notice.

The one whose story can still have another chapter.

Every mile has a purpose.

View the ride details, meet our sponsors, and learn how you can be part of the mission. 

If you are a Veteran in crisis—or you're concerned about one—you don't have to wait until things become unbearable to reach out.

Veterans Crisis Line — Available 24/7

CALL: 988, then Press 1
TEXT: 838255
CHAT: VeteransCrisisLine.net

You do not have to be enrolled in VA benefits or VA health care to use the Veterans Crisis Line.

If you're worried about someone:

Ask the question. Make the call. Sit beside them. Stay.

One difficult conversation is worth having if it means someone you love is still here tomorrow.