OCEAN COUNTY – The Manchester Volunteer Fire Company had the recent honor of assisting U.S. Marine Corps veteran Nick Beadles as he traveled through the community during his extraordinary journey across America.
Beadles is one of a long line of Marines in his family that includes his grandfather, father, uncle, two brothers and a sister-in-law, all of whom served in the Marine Corps. Twenty years ago, he served two tours in Iraq which caused him to experience post-traumatic stress disorder.
Along with experiencing PTSD affected he has also felt the deep the loss of friends who took their lives because of what they experienced during their service. That is why he is walking from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon to raise awareness for mental health, encourage meaningful conversations, and remind those who are struggling that they are never alone.
He said his mission is to inspire hope, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and provide support for veterans, first responders, and anyone facing life’s challenges.
Members of the Lavallette and Seaside Heights Fire companies escorted him into town. Manchester Volunteer Fire Company expressed how proud they were to ensure “his safe passage through our community and extend our sincere gratitude for his service to our nation and his unwavering commitment to helping others.”
“We wish Nick continued success and safety as he carries this important message across the country. Thank you for making a difference and inspiring hope – one step at a time,” Manchester Volunteer Fire Company Acting President Michele Rosatelli said. She met him at the Manchester Volunteer Fire Company Fire Station 32.
Rosatelli told The Manchester Times, “We had him stay at the firehouse to shower, eat and rest. He told us about his mission to bring awareness about suicide, just reach out to a friend and see how they are doing. He is a great guy working on a great cause. We were honored to escort him to our fire department.”
Beadles also visited the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company on Route 530.
Mayor Joseph Hankins also expressed that he was excited to see Beadles traveling through Ocean County and stopping by in the Whiting section of the township. The mayor made sure he had a nice New Jersey type meal providing him a pork roll and cheese sandwich.
The Marine’s trek across America is reminiscent of a scene from the popular film “Forrest Gump.” Like Gump, he was struggling to figure out his life and future when he decided to journey across the United States on foot. This past spring Beadles made the decision to do something not only for his health, both mental and physical, but to also help others as well on this very personal journey.
He had never undertaken such a journey before but knew this was important, just as he knew how post-traumatic stress disorder affects veterans and first responders. “They live with it every day.”
The veteran who resides in Phoenix, Arizona arrived in Monmouth Beach on June 24 at which time he discovered that Maureen Somers, the woman who invited him to the Jersey Shore, was the wife of Monmouth Beach Mayor Tim Somers. Needless to say, the community warmly welcomed him.
Mayor Somers tagged along with Beadles for a portion of his journey and posted on the borough’s Facebook page, “he wants to call attention to the simple act of reaching out to those who may need a kind word or a person to speak with in their time of crisis.”
The mayor noted that Beadles “also would like our government to pay more attention to this issue with veterans. As a nation we should be doing more for these dedicated soldiers who risked it all for us. We are falling short of our responsibility and it’s time all of us recognized it.”
Beadle’s trek had him heading from Monmouth Beach toward Asbury Park, Manasquan, Brielle, Point Pleasant Beach, Bay Head, Mantoloking, Brick and Seaside Heights.
During his stop in Seaside Heights, Beadles took part on in a special event that had been postponed from Memorial Day weekend. The event, sponsored by the Seaside Heights Business Improvement District was a tug-o-war between the membership of the Seaside Heights and Seaside Park fire companies that served as a fundraiser for the two companies and the Tri-Boro First Aid Squad. During that event he received some donations from people who wanted to assist him with his travel costs.
He stopped several times along the way prior to heading east to Manchester Township and received some gifts during his journey including challenge coins, T-shirts and patches from various police departments and fire companies. He’s never lacked for a meal as area businesses and other supporters have seen to that.
Beadles was appreciative that the people of the Garden State took care of him from the moment he arrived and like Manchester put him up in firehouses and also joined him for a stretch of his long journey ahead. He is set to arrive in Philadelphia on July 3, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend and the 250th birthday of America.
