When Ethan passed in September 2018, I was already a member of SNAP Fitness in Hebron. Little did I know then what large part my gym family would play in my journey to not only survive Ethan’s tragedy, but to find myself and my inner strength again.

Chanin, the owner of SNAP Fitness, and her AMAZING coaches and clients, showed up for me time after time. They were among the first to donate to Ethan’s Purpose, provided meals for my family, and made porch drops of flowers, balloons, treats and cards. But most importantly, they respected our story, my need for a safe place to go in the midst of my pain, and they encouraged me to feel all the feels and let my mind and heart do what it needed to do to find my new self. Hugs, words of encouragement, and a place where I could just come to escape my reality for an hour at a time was exactly what I needed.

Chanin has offered to host a yearly Ethan’s Purpose outdoor workout to help others understand how physical fitness supports mental health. By coming together as a community and talking about mental health and suicide prevention, we can erase the stigma and help others to see that anxiety and depression are treatable.

The 2020 Ethan’s Purpose SNAP Fitness workout raised $1,292 for Ethan’s Purpose to be used for counseling services in our local schools. THANK YOU Chanin, for always been supportive and continuing to advocate for good mental health and suicide awareness! You are a true asset to our community.