MENOMONIE, Wis. (WEAU) - Volunteers have embarked on a four-day bicycle journey through Wisconsin and Minnesota to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention among responders. This marks the third year of the initiative.
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On the second day of the Ride Against Suicide, three advocates traveled from Hudson to Menomonie. Brandon Sell, affiliated with the Invisible Wounds Project and a law enforcement veteran with 20 years of experience, highlighted the historical stigma surrounding mental health in his field. He noted that discussing mental health issues was often taboo and seeking therapy could jeopardize one's job.
Sell acknowledged improvements in the conversation around mental health but emphasized that more work remains. "It’s out there, it’s not something that is in a faraway land. Mental health impacts our first responders, military, and frontline healthcare workers – it’s in our own backyard. We need to inform them that support is available if they need it," he stated.
The ride is set to stop in Chetek before concluding in Forest Lake, Minnesota.