Soul Searching in the Apalachian MT

There are so many thoughts, memories, words that come to my mind when I read “Tell your story”.  I have been fighting for my entire life, up to this point. I was put into foster care when I was six years old, along with my three other siblings. We bounced around home to home until I was adopted at age 15. I joined the Army at 20 and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan 7 times. I lost a lot of friends over seas and in the states. Suicides, wars, and accidents. My mother was killed in 2008 by a drunk driver, weeks after burying one of my friends. This pushed me into my downward spiral. I was drinking everyday to cope with PTSD, TBI, depression, anger, life. I attempted suicide but made it out. I did what every good soldier does and sucked it up. I kept it all to my self, deploying another three times, loosing more friends, and getting more dark inside. I stayed in the military a total of 12 years, and even did some time in a military prison for making a poor decision. Thankfully I was allowed to ETS with an Honorable Discharge.   I have been out of the military for almost 2 months and am trying to get my life together. I have the debt I incurred during my absence and a new life as a felon to look forward to. I don’t know how I am still alive when so many have fallen around me, but I still am. I spent more than a decade of my life fighting wars in other countries and in my head, and now I am looking for my peace.  I was asked by a couple older generation Rangers if I wanted to go on a multi week hike through the Appalachians, and I said yes. I love camping and hiking, but have never done anything like this. I feel the call of the wild in those mountains and I am looking forward to it. I will do my soul searching on the trail for 1,100 miles from Georgia to Washington DC. I am asking for your help financially to facilitate me getting some gear that I am missing, and a plane ticket down to Georgia. I have a 50 liter pack, and a couple other items, but I need a few more things to get me through to the finish. I would like to raise enough to get a hammock, hiking poles, sleeping bag/ bivy cover, new hiking boots for starters. Donations will also go towards food during the trip.  I am not asking for much, but every bit helps. I plan on documenting this trip with a 360 degree camera, notebooks, photos, and videos, and want to upload them all along the way, so people can watch and follow. Maybe, possibly, I can use this to help other people who are in my shoes, and fought despair, depression, PTSD, abandonment, and show them there is hope. I made it….you can to. Thank you!