In July 2020, John became a bereaved parent through the accidental suicide of his 15 year old son, Jake. He coped with the mental trauma of this experience by taking time out alone in the mountains, using his army training to push himself physically, in an effort to balance the psychological storms he endured. In this way John was able to build up his resilience and find a new place of peace; an approach which he is passionate about sharing with others. 

 

To this end, in 2023, he and Chris, our Chair of Trustees, co-founded Walking 4 Hope with family members and friends so that others in similar situations could discover these coping strategies and ways of being for themselves. 

 

John treasures the love he will always have in his heart for Jake; this gives him the drive to do all in his power to be alongside young people, families and bereaved parents who are all contending with their own struggles, helping them to reap the benefits of spending time outdoors and building their own resilience through nature. 

 

You can read a fuller account of these experiences in a letter from John here.