Why We Drive for the Fallen | Race to Erase 22 & the 22 Veterans a Day Crisis

About this story

In Afghanistan’s deadliest fighting, Marines learned that survival depends on connection, purpose, and the people beside you.
When service ends, many Veterans lose that structure overnight and are expected to rebuild their lives alone.
This episode shows how that loss of purpose can be just as dangerous as combat itself and how Race to Erase 22 is fighting back.

In this Vegas Veteran Voices episode, we sit down with the founders of Race to Erase 22, a Veteran-led nonprofit created to confront the crisis of Veteran suicide and the isolation that follows military service. The organization was founded after VA statistics revealed an average of 22 Veterans per day dying by suicide, a number that has shaped national conversations around Veteran mental health, transition support, and suicide prevention.

Race to Erase 22 began by placing wounded and transitioning Veterans into off-road racing teams, not for the thrill, but to recreate what many lost after leaving the military: mission, teamwork, accountability, and belonging. What started as adrenaline-based therapy evolved into a full-spectrum support network providing community connection, purpose-driven events, creative outlets, and real-world intervention for Veterans, first responders, and their families.

Throughout this conversation, we explore how losing military structure can leave Veterans overwhelmed, directionless, and isolated, and why traditional “reach out for help” messaging often fails. Race to Erase 22 focuses instead on reaching in: interrupting isolation, creating safe gathering spaces, and connecting people before crisis turns fatal.

The episode highlights their work through off-road events, memorial carries honoring Veterans lost to suicide, leadership gatherings, art and music therapy, women Veteran empowerment programs, hospice support, emergency interventions, and community outreach across Nevada and beyond. From carrying fallen service members’ photos across race finish lines to providing tangible help like transportation, food, medical support, and purpose-restoring activities, Race to Erase 22 addresses mental health through action, not slogans.

We also discuss the importance of collaboration between Veteran organizations, law enforcement, firefighters, National Guard units, and active-duty service members, emphasizing that suicide prevention is not a single-program solution. It is a community responsibility.

This episode is a reminder that Veterans are not broken, weak, or disposable after service. They are individuals who once thrived inside a mission-driven system and deserve support while rebuilding their next chapter. Purpose saves lives. Community saves lives. Showing up saves lives.

If you are a Veteran, first responder, or family member struggling with transition, isolation, or mental health challenges, you are not alone. Resources exist, people care, and organizations like Race to Erase 22 are proof that connection changes outcomes.

At its core, this conversation is about hope. It’s about reminding Veterans and first responders that their service still matters, their lives still matter, and there are people willing to walk beside them through the hardest transitions.

If you or someone you know is struggling, Race to Erase 22 is proof that small actions, shared purpose, and human connection can save lives.

Race to Erase 22
Facebook: Race to Erase 22
Instagram: @racetoerase22
Email: racetoerase22@yahoo.com

This episode is presented to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and encourage connection within the Veteran and first responder community.

If this story resonates with you, share it with someone who might need to hear it.

In their words

“Serving others, serving the community has always been big to me, but this was a whole new level and it’s my joy and my purpose.”

“As humans, we need to give each other grace. No one knows what each person’s struggling with and what their battle is.”

“Really we need to reach in because if you’re struggling mentally, a lot of times you’re not going to reach out.”