Rallying in the rain
Weather delay didn’t dampen spirit of walkers and runners at PTSD awareness event.
Apollo, a six-year-old German Shepherd owned by Kristie Creasman, sniffs the feet of the woman in the “Family” monument as they walk with other people during the PTSD Awareness Walk at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, June 27, 2025. Despite a one hour delay due to heavy rain and thunderstorms, dozens of people took part in the walk that was held to show support and awareness for breaking the silence that sometimes surrounds PTSD. Numerous mental health agencies offering mental health support were also on hand for the event. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2025.
This time of year, it’s always hot and quite often rainy, with thunderstorms a frequent occurrence. All of that happened in the late afternoon of June 27, when the annual PTSD Awareness Walk/Run was set to take stride at the Ocala-Marion County Veterans Memorial Park.
Even so, plenty of people showed up to show their support.
“The weather may have delayed our start, but it didn’t dampen the spirit or the purpose behind the event. Together, we proved that ‘Together We Fight, and Together We Conquer’ — especially when it comes to PTSD and mental health awareness,” noted a post on the Marion County government Facebook page.
Money raised from the event will provide mental health resources and benefit the Marion County Fire Rescue Peer Support Fund, H3 Adventures and Vets Helping Vets USA.
First responders from Ocala Fire Rescue, the Ocala Police Department, the Professional Firefighters of Marion County and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office were among the participants.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes on its website that “there are currently about 12 million people in the United States with PTSD.”
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