Paddling for heroes raises awareness of veteran suicide

On Saturday morning, 123 people were brave enough to kayak 9 miles from St. Marys, Ga., to the downtown Fernandina Beach marina, a journey of some three or four hours on average. 

The fifth annual Cross the Line Foundation Paddle for Veterans was in support of American River Strokers, an organization that seeks to raise awareness about veteran issues while paddling America’s riverways, and the Cross the Line Foundation’s own student scholarship awards.

The Department of Veterans Affairs 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report offers sobering statistics. There were 6,146 veteran suicide deaths in 2020, the last year for which data is available. That’s about 17 veterans a day or one every 85  minutes. In 2020, adjusting for population age and sex differences, the suicide rate for veterans was 57.3% greater than for non-veteran U.S. adults. 

Co-directors of the Cross the Line Foundation, Paul Lore and Bill Cimino, are veterans themselves. The two of them heard of people doing similar rowing events in support of veteran causes, and were inspired to make their own mark on their own Nassau County veteran community. Cimino and Lore were members of the local Foar From Home team that rowed 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in late 2021 and early 2022 in support of K9s for Warriors. Lore is currently a part of the international Team Ohana, right now rowing 2,800 miles from California to Hawaii, again in support of K9s for Warriors as well as the Children’s Tumor Foundation.

Back in St. Marys, Mayor John Morrissey gave quick remarks alongside Fernandina Beach Mayor Bradley Bean. Amy Vickery performed the national anthem, and kayaks were in the water at 8:40 a.m. Once the kayakers started navigating the river, it became a mental challenge as much as a physical one and paddlers had to remind themselves of what’s important while the rowing gets tough. 

“I’m saying that I can do it and others can’t because they don’t have the chance to,” said ex-marine Jim Plunkett, once back on dry land in Fernandina.

That was a common theme among paddlers – the idea of doing something just because it is a gift to be able to even try. Veterans face extraordinary mental health challenges and the paddlers were putting in work Saturday so that veterans can get help when they try, too.

After kayaking nine miles, Bryan Simpkins said, “Today I’m telling myself I got a buddy named Josh Esperson who’s special forces and he is still alive, but he’s witnessed some of his buddies commit suicide, so I’m paddling for him.”

Supporting the paddlers were a score of volunteers seemingly everywhere all at once. Local business Nassau Moving volunteered to haul kayaks from Fernandina Beach to St. Marys. Some of the kayaks were provided by Amelia Island Kayak Excursions. 

By 6 a.m. volunteers were unloading all of the kayaks at St. Marys so that the paddlers were ready to go once arriving from Fernandina Beach by way of Amelia River Cruises who volunteered its services. Oasis Marina volunteered slips for safety boats and jet skis manned by more volunteers and EMTs on the water during the paddle. Once rowers arrived at the Fernandina Beach marina, there were volunteers ready to help get exhausted paddlers and their kayaks out of the water.

James Benard Jr. has been involved with the paddle event every year. He summed up what keeps him pushing through the challenge.

“It’s the personal time up here,” he says and points to his head, “I’m not going to let that out there beat me.”