West York Borough native Matt Snow has always had a love for skateboarding.
Snow, 32, wanted to find a way to use that love to help those who might be having mental health struggles.
So, he reached out to Building Bridges For Brianna, an organization based in Dallastown that helps deal with and prevent suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury in York County, with an idea: skateboarding across America to raise mental health awareness.
On Saturday, June 20, at Slagel Park in West York Borough, Snow and Building Bridges For Brianna Founder and President Matt Dorgan announced Snow’s plan to skateboard across the country to raise mental health awareness.
“I wanted to be able to break that barrier, to be able to reach out with an honest, open hand that there are other people like you (struggling with mental health) that are out there,” Snow said. “You don’t have to be afraid to reach out and ask for help. That was the hardest struggle that I had.”
Snow said he’s had his own struggles with mental health. An accident he had 3 years ago completely changed who he was physically and mentally.
He said he was burned at a distillery with boiling corrosive acid and was in the hospital for over a month, and physical therapy took about a year. The accident just amplified his mental health issues − so much so there were quite a few times where he was in just a very dark spot and tried to hurt himself.
“That’s when I realized that it’s OK to not be OK and to reach out,” Snow said.
Snow said he wanted to find a way to break that stigma that goes with mental illness.
“I grew up in a way where you didn’t really talk about your feelings,” Snow said. “You just bottled them up and just kept going through life.”
He wanted to find outlet where he could help others reach out when they have issues with mental health. He thought about skateboarding the Appalachian Trail, but the logistics of that journey were difficult.
That’s when the idea of skateboarding across the country came to mind. He reached out to Dorgan and Building Bridges For Brianna.
“He’s struggled a long time to find that outlet to be able to express his story, his journey and his surviving and fighting,” Dorgan said. “What better way to spread that awareness than skateboarding from New Jersey to California.”
Snow’s journey across the country will start June 28 in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. He calculated it will take about 75 days to make the trek to his destination in Venice Beach, California.
Others have crossed the country on a skateboard before, he said, but most start the journey in California. He wanted to do something different.
Snow will be doing the journey solo, without the aid of a support team, which concerns him a little.
“I’m a little nervous about it, but at the same time, with my past, if I can deal with that, I can deal with this,” he said.
Dorgan said he was extremely happy by Snow’s offer to help raise mental health awareness and hopes he can make a difference with every stop he makes along the way.
“This isn’t just about one person crossing America,” Dorgan said. “It’s about thousands of conversations that could ultimately save lives. Every town, every stop, and every person Matthew meets is another opportunity to remind someone that hope exists.”
If you want to follow Snow’s journey across the country, go to www.skateacrossamerica.org for updates. Snow said he will be posting photos and updates along the way.
You can also go to Building Bridges for Brianna’s Facebook page for updates.
