Alberta patrol officer passes through Sudbury while raising awareness about PTSD

Chad Kennedy of Alberta is making his way through Canada while raising awareness about PTSD.

It’s his way of letting other first responders and military veterans know that it’s OK to talk about their struggles.

“We encounter stuff that the rest of the society will never encounter," he said. "It’s OK to not be OK and it’s OK to be able to ask for help.”

Kennedy, a patrol officer for 15 years, was diagnosed with PTSD in 2018. It worsened in 2020 after he responded to a bus crash.

“I was one of six law enforcement officers that were first on scene to a mass casualty bus rollover without resources -- we didn’t have fire, we didn’t have EMS,” said Kennedy.

“Basically two weeks after the fact, I sat in the backyard contemplating life. I had enough. People aren’t understanding what I go through.”

It was then that Kennedy decided he was going to walk across Canada to raise awareness. He started his journey in Cranbrook, B.C., on April 4, as a way to let other first responders know that they are not alone.

“We face this stigma in our work environments that if we speak about mental health or anything that has hurt us or upset us, that we’re weak," he said.

"It’s so far from (the truth). We’re probably the most strongest, resilient individuals when we ask for help. But we’re also afraid to be shunned by others and beat down emotionally and judged.”

The next stop for Kennedy will be in Toronto where he will meet several southern Ontario police services and then he will make his way to North Bay on Aug. 7.

“It starts with a conversation," he said.

"Unfortunately, it takes a person to walk the country to stir things up but the people are listening and it’s pretty amazing."