A marathon recently held in Scottsdale, Arizona drew attention to mental health awareness and suicide prevention for veterans and first responders.
Monster Mash, presented in partnership with INVI Mindhealth and Invisible Wounds Foundation, kicked off with a chilly 5-mile swim through Lake Pleasant followed by a shooting evolution and a 50-mile ruck run through the desert into the night.
All proceeds from the event were donated to the Invisible Wounds Foundation, which provides critical support and resources for veterans and first responders suffering from invisible wounds like PTSD and traumatic brain injury.
INVI Mindhealth was founded by Navy SEAL Jonathan Wilson, a veteran US Navy Seal, following the loss of several former military teammates to suicide.
“Losing teammates to suicide has been one of the most devastating experiences of my life. These were men who exemplified courage and strength, yet they struggled silently with invisible wounds,” he said. “Each loss shook me to my core and made me realize how much we, as a community, need to do to address mental health and prevent these tragedies.”
Wilson said those moments of grief and loss became a turning point for him.
“I realized that while we were trained to handle the toughest physical challenges, we lacked the tools and support to navigate the mental toll of our experiences,” he explained. “The weight of losing my brothers became my driving force to advocate for mental health, not just as a need but as a priority for those who’ve given so much.”
INVI Mindhealth aims to revolutionize mental health care by utilizing predictive analytics to detect decreases in mental wellbeing, creating a support team to help people in need, and offering personalized solutions that address the unique challenges faced by those in high-stress professions – all on a smartphone app.
“We pull biometric information from various wearable watches along with our qualitative questionnaire through the app and provide users with trendlines around their mental well-being,” Wilson said. “We have a unique swim buddy system that keeps one connected to their teammate/team where they can share their MindScore, a real-time snapshot of their mental wellbeing, and INVI will send alerts if their buddy goes dark to establish accountability and support when a downward trend in one’s mental well being is detected. The platform combines biometrics, deep learning analytics, artificial intelligence, and human networks to offer comprehensive mental health solutions.”
Wilson said he always felt a strong calling to serve, especially after watching his father serve in the Army.
“From an early age, I admired the dedication, grit, and courage that he and his teammates had leading me to want to join myself,” he said. “After I found out about the Navy SEALs, I knew that was where I wanted to be. So that became my goal. I wanted to challenge myself, to be part of something greater than myself, and to make a meaningful impact and from what I learned I could do that in the military and specifically in the SEAL Teams.”
Following his graduation from BUDS class 252, Wilson served just under 16 years in the Navy, during which he deployed multiple times to Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.
“Most of these deployments were found in high-stress environments where the mission was critical, and lives depended on our teamwork and resolve,” he said. “These deployments shaped me profoundly, teaching me lessons about resilience, leadership, and the value of brotherhood.”
That sense of brotherhood led Wilson to participate in the Monster Mash again this year. He said the event brought back memories of the camaraderie and physical challenges he experienced while a SEAL.
“Preparing for the event meant embracing the SEAL ethos: staying physically ready, mentally tough, and always pushing past my limits,” he said.
Wilson added the most difficult aspect of the marathon wasn’t just the physical endurance that was required, but the mental determination to keep going when every part of your body tells you to stop.
“That’s where the camaraderie of the participants shined. We pushed each other, encouraged each other, and reminded one another why we were there,” he said.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.