Mentally digging yourself out of a hole is not always a simple task. Sometimes, you need others to lend a helping shovel. When Army veteran (’02-’08) Trent White felt his mental health was a burden too big to bear, he reached out to Alaska Warrior Partnership (AKWP) for support.
Trent reached out to AKWP when his depression was getting the better of him, and he was unable to find the motivation to even get out of the house. This is, unfortunately, a struggle many veterans face. Thankfully, Trent knew it was time to ask for help. The AKWP team connected Trent with a counselor to address his issues. During this time of self-reflection, Trent saw a story about the Irondog team that AKWP sponsored last year. This story ignited a spark in Trent to give back to his community.
Trent reached out to the Iron Dog team, a partner of AKWP, to volunteer with their organization. Volunteering provided Trent with such a sense of pride, he wanted to continue this momentum. Trent assisted AKWP with removing snow from a local disabled veterans’ driveway, donated food to veterans in need, and began mentoring another veteran struggling with depression. Trent is excited to continue volunteering and getting outdoors. He is currently training for the Iron Dog Race, the world’s longest snowmobile race that benefits Alaska veterans. Trent hopes his story can “show other veterans that even with disabilities, you can still get out and do things”.
Thanks to AKWP, Trent is an empowered veteran empowering veterans in his community. Alaska is stronger when our veterans are stronger. Connect with AKWP to learn more about how you can give back to the Alaskan veteran community by visiting our website and completing an online form: http://alaskawarriorpartnership.org/