Show your support for Sean with a donation to Aspen Strong
"You will feel better than this, maybe not yet, but you will. You just keep living until you are alive again.”
I’ve battled with mental illness my entire life. Addiction, depression, and disordered eating have simply gotten the best of me at times; leaving me helpless, broken and even suicidal. If it weren’t for me stumbling into the world of endurance sports, I am honestly not sure if I would have come out the other side of my afflictions alive. This is why I believe that it is important to use this personal challenge as a platform to fund-raise for mental health . While exercise and mountain landscapes can certainly be an antidote to a variety of mental illnesses, they often don’t resolve the underlying issues that are at the root of an individual’s problem. This is why organizations such as Aspen Strong are so vital, as they offer a lifeline to those in need. Mental illness is significantly under-addressed by society and Aspen Strong helps to fills this gap locally.
I hope that my effort can play some small part in reducing the stigma around mental illness. The same characteristics that make me prone to mental maladies have also allowed me to excel in other areas of my life. Acknowledging and addressing our defects does not make us weak, rather, it is in fighting these demons that we truly become strong.
Want to join me in making a difference? Give a little bit to Aspen Strong, any donation will help make an impact by promoting better access to mental health treatment in the Roaring Fork Valley.
On March 17th, Sean Vanhorn is attempting to ski human powered turns for 24 hours in an effort to raise money for Aspen Strong, an organization dedicated to providing mental health treatment for the Roaring Fork Valley. Colorado has a long history of 24-hour endurance challenges, and there is something intrinsically exciting about the massive emotional challenge Sean will be facing. As a local endurance badass and great friend of Cripple Creek, we want to extend our best wishes to Sean as he embarks on this journey!
Like so many of us, Sean has battled his fair share of demons over the years and this event is the culmination of a long journey to health. While he has his eyes set on Mike Foote's record of 61,200 vertical feet in 24 hours, his real mission is to help stoke the dialogue around a relevant topic, especially in mountain towns. Show support for Sean by donating to Aspen Strong, and you will help Mental Health in the Roaring Fork Valley!