(NewsNation) — Air Force veteran and retired firefighter Patrick Romeo is riding on his motorcycle from Florida to Alaska in the hopes of raising funds for service members suffering from PTSD.
Romeo is participating for the second time in the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, wherein he will ride 10,000 miles on his motorcycle alongside 999 other riders from Daytona Beach, Florida, to Homer, Alaska.
The endurance challenge also includes stipulations. Riders cannot use a GPS — only directions given at checkpoints — and must sleep outside with their bikes.
Romeo is partnering with Resurrecting Lives Foundation to raise money and awareness for veterans, but also civilians, who are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Resurrecting Lives Foundation assists veterans with returning to civilian life after service.
After the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline created the three-digit 988 number, Romeo saw it as a sign to get involved once again.
“When I completed it in 2020, I’d said I would never do it again because I had nothing left to prove,” Romeo said Monday on “NewsNation Now.”
“Too many veterans are dying by suicide every day, much higher rate than what our civilian population is.
“So, we just want to get the word out there for the 988 number, not just for our veterans, but for anyone in general. But, my focus, my passion, is with our veterans.”