Ron Zaleski’s Journey Across America
Ron Zaleski, a 74-year-old Marine veteran, is on an extraordinary journey across America, again. His mission, to bring awareness to the tragic issue of veteran suicides and to support his non-profit organization, The Long Walk Home.
Born on November 11th, 1950, in Southampton, NY, he joined the United States Marine Corps at 19, serving in the Vietnam era from 1970 to 1972. When Ron returned home from the military, he learned that two members of his squadron had been shot and killed in combat, with the other three injured. He was hit by a wave of emotions: anger, guilt, shame, the list went on. After hearing the news, Ron vowed to stop wearing shoes in 1972 as a memorial to his fallen brothers, and to protest against the horrors of war. Ron still walks barefoot to this day.
Ron would go on to own both a scuba shop and gym, but the anger and guilt he felt still lingered. In 2006, he sold his businesses and founded The Long Walk Home.
The same year, he set out to walk barefoot across the Appalachian Trail. He traversed 2,200 miles of woods and wildlife, learning self-forgiveness, empathy, and finding a purpose greater than himself, all the while without shoes. He was met by many curious trailblazers who were eager to hear his story. Many of them were on their own journey of self-discovery. Others were Veterans, or had Veterans in their family, and related to Ron’s experience. However, they all had one thing in common: they were in awe of Ron’s bare feet. The Appalachian taught Ron that he wasn’t the only Veteran who felt lost, aimless, and isolated.
While his journey along the Appalachian Trail was in part an effort to create awareness for Veterans experiencing PTSD, Ron admits that he did it primarily for himself, to find peace. Having found that peace, Ron set his sights on a new mission. In 2010, he upped the stakes and walked barefoot from Concord, MA to Santa Monica, CA. He traversed over 3,400 miles without shoes, carrying a sign that read “18 Vets a Day Commit Suicide!” and a petition for military personnel to receive mandatory counseling. In 2011, he brought that same petition, which had at that point accumulated over 20,000 signatures, to Washington D.C. There, he spoke to politicians and pleaded his case on behalf of Veterans. While his calls for reform largely seemed to fall on deaf ears, Ron refused to bow out.
For over a decade, Ron has worked tirelessly to build The Long Walk Home from the ground up. He lives in Venice, FL, developing programs, events, and services to extend to Veterans and their families on the local and national level. The Long Walk Home is ever-growing in its mission to bring awareness to and, more importantly, prevent Veteran suicide. Without Ron, the organization would not be where it is today.
In his current journey across America, Ron carries a message of hope and advocacy. His journey has become a tapestry of shared stories and unspoken bonds, weaving a fabric of community and support. Each sunrise brought renewed hope, and each sunset marked another day closer to his goal.
Along the way, he is greeted by strangers who have turned into friends, offering shelter, food, and words of encouragement. Ron’s journey isn’t just about reaching a destination, it is about the transformation along the way. It is about raising awareness, fostering connections, and igniting a spark of change.
As Ron walks across cities, towns, and open plains, he finds solace in the natural beauty that surrounds him. His journey is a symbol of the enduring spirit and the power of one individual’s dedication to making a difference.
The Long Walk Home’s vision is to end suicide in the Veteran Community by helping them and their loved ones through a set of challenges to discover a new mission. This intentional mission of healing Veterans and stopping them from taking their lives.
Texas Veterans Commission’s Mental Health Department
In addition to connecting Veterans in need directly to local services, VMHD also works with partners at the national, state, and local level to address Veteran-specific issues including suicide prevention/intervention, Veteran homelessness, military cultural competency, peer support services, military-related trauma, women and rural veterans, and justice involvement. Across all programming, VMHD is fortunate to have the broadest definition of veteran regardless of discharge status, branch of services, or having served one day or a career. All services including training, technical assistance, and direct services provided across VMHD programming are offered freely to all who are in need.
Voice of Texas Veterans with Julia Conner
Join Julia Conner every Sunday at 3:30pm for The Voice of Texas Veterans. This 10-minute-long program features Texas Veterans Commission Services, which assists Veterans in obtaining all the state and federal benefits they have earned.
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