Huron County veterans embark on ‘Ruck March’ to raise awareness of first responders’ PTSD

A local police officer has teamed up with a military veteran to raise awareness for mental health struggles. CTV London’s Scott Miller reports.

Chris Fedorko used to patrol the roads of Huron County as an OPP officer, but everything changed six years ago.

“In 2019, I was involved in a traumatic incident at work. I took some time off, went back and two years ago, I was finally diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. And I’ve been off work since, and I struggle with PTSD every day,” said the 13-year OPP veteran from Exeter.

Fedorko has found a confidante and friend in Mark Morse. The 16-year military veteran from Goderich helps veterans and first responders around the world through grassroots online support groups.

“PTSD and OSI (operational stress injury) is very, very misunderstood and how it affects people and families. So it’s a matter of at the grassroots level, we’re working with each other to, to keep each other alive. It’s just that simple,” said Morse.

But sometimes it doesn’t work. Morse says 22 military veterans die by suicide worldwide each day, 51 OPP officers have died by suicide and 36 per cent of all first responders, like police, firefighters and paramedics, will develop post traumatic stress disorder and be unable to work because of it.

“Sometimes you just kind of have to shut your brain off, and just deal with what’s in front of you. And then afterwards, I mean, they do debriefs every now and then, but the support needs to be increased for us. It just needs to be better handled. And then we’ll have less suicides, and less people struggling and less people off work,” said Fedorko.

On August 30, Morse and Fedorko will carry 66 pound army packs on their backs for 66 kilometres from Goderich to Ipperwash to raise awareness about the struggles facing military veterans and first responders. They’ll also raise money for CanPraxis, a Canadian equine therapy program, that works specifically with those struggling on the front lines.

“It’s very difficult counseling. It’s a hard look at yourself, your issues and your triggers. So they work at teaching you how to communicate as a family about the emotions, the issues, the triggers and how to work through them. And this is all done around horses. Horses feed on human emotion better than any other animal, and it helps people relax and helps bring the conversation forward,” said Morse.

The first ever Morse Memorial March is in honour of Morse’s cousin, a veteran who lost his battle with PTSD in 2016, and two other veteran friends of Morse, who also died by suicide. The 66 pound packs for 66 kilometres is the combination of those three deaths, multiplied by the 22 veterans who die by suicide each day.

“People look at the emergency first responders and veterans as a bit of a different breed of people, right? We’ve always got to be strong, right? Well, when push comes to shove, we’re human beings. And every day, police, soldiers, veterans, we see things that are unbelievable, and it builds on us,” said Morse.

“You put your uniform on, and you think that you’re untouchable. I think people should know that we struggle, because if nobody knows I’m struggling, then nobody can help me deal with what I’m dealing with,” says Fedorko.

The first annual Morse Memorial March leaves Goderich, August 30th.