Local veteran finds mental healing through motorcycles

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Marshall Davis from Rigby, Idaho is a veteran who has struggled with mental health challenges, and with September being National Suicide Awareness Month, he is deciding to share his story.

According to the Wounded Warrior Project, "Many warriors and their families live with invisible wounds of war," mental health challenges.

Davis along with his son, Derryk Davis, were able to participate in the Rolling Project Odessey, where they spent a week with other veterans to improve their mental health by indulging in other activities. In this case, motorcycling.

Davis says, "Mental illness is real," and, "The Rolling Odessey brought us together for this mental learning."

WWP's most recent survey found that nearly one in four warriors had suicidal thoughts in the last year, with 70% of them being reported in the past two weeks.

According to the annual National Veteran Suicide Prevention report we are losing 17 veteran lives to suicide each day. Ryan Kules, Wounded Warrior Project Rolling Odessey Director, says, "One is too many."

Davis and Kules encourage other warriors and veterans to seek help to make the transition back home much easier.

For more information or to seek help through the Wounded Warrior Project, click HERE.