I had a blast shooting with the inspiring and fun loving Dev Everett the other day near a small airfield overlooking the Delaware River. The airfield sits high above the Delaware River a few miles north of where George Washington and his troops set out on their historic march to Trenton.
Dev thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail last summer, roughly 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. This spring, she’ll tackle its west coast counterpart, the Pacific Crest Trail, adding another 2,560 miles to her hiking boots. This hike is as much about her soul as it is, well, her soles. Dev has teamed up with HIKE for Mental Health to raise funds and reduce the stigma associated with mental health.
Over the past few years, I have struggled with managing my anxiety and depression but I have always found nature to be a source of comfort.
As Dev points out, one in four families are affected by mental health. It’s something we as a society don’t like to talk about, despite the fact our brains are the very core of our being. That stigma is changing though, because of the honesty and efforts of brave people like Dev and Christian Reilly.
You can donate to Dev’s effort here. I also highly encourage you to follow her on Instagram as she makes the journey up America’s Pacific Coast.
Mike Maney 