Jess McHugh (Host/Narrator)

And it got more tragic incrementally, like a kettle on a stove that heats up slowly until all of a sudden it starts to boil.

And it got more tragic incrementally, like a kettle on a stove that heats up slowly until all of a sudden it starts to boil.

So the retreat in Montana comes to an end and the three musketeers say goodbye to one another. They stay in touch. And this, by the way, is exactly the goal of this program. Veterans forming real bonds that last long after the campfire goes out. A few months after the Montana retreat, in December of 2021, Dex happened to be in Virginia visiting Arlington National Cemetery.

So the retreat in Montana comes to an end and the three musketeers say goodbye to one another. They stay in touch. And this, by the way, is exactly the goal of this program. Veterans forming real bonds that last long after the campfire goes out. A few months after the Montana retreat, in December of 2021, Dex happened to be in Virginia visiting Arlington National Cemetery.

And suddenly, Dex remembers that Sarah's brother was a Marine who was killed in action. So she sends Sarah a text and says she'd like to lay a wreath at his grave. Within minutes, Sarah texts back with a plot number. But when Dex gets to the grave, she notices that this Marine, he has a different last name than Sarah's.

And suddenly, Dex remembers that Sarah's brother was a Marine who was killed in action. So she sends Sarah a text and says she'd like to lay a wreath at his grave. Within minutes, Sarah texts back with a plot number. But when Dex gets to the grave, she notices that this Marine, he has a different last name than Sarah's.

And when she looks up his obituary, she sees that they're not even the same race. When she sends Sarah a picture of the grave, though, Sarah confirms that, yes, this is him.

And when she looks up his obituary, she sees that they're not even the same race. When she sends Sarah a picture of the grave, though, Sarah confirms that, yes, this is him.

You can hear Dex trying to make sense of this, but she said she didn't ask Sarah too many questions about it.

You can hear Dex trying to make sense of this, but she said she didn't ask Sarah too many questions about it.

So Dex just didn't say anything. Besides, at this point, Sarah was fighting lung cancer. And from time to time, she'd mention to Dex that her medical bills were piling up, that the VA wasn't covering everything. Dex wanted to help, even from far away. That's when she heard about this charity called Hunter 7. Hunter 7 helps veterans who struggle to pay their medical bills.

So Dex just didn't say anything. Besides, at this point, Sarah was fighting lung cancer. And from time to time, she'd mention to Dex that her medical bills were piling up, that the VA wasn't covering everything. Dex wanted to help, even from far away. That's when she heard about this charity called Hunter 7. Hunter 7 helps veterans who struggle to pay their medical bills.

The reality is many veterans face huge gaps in the health care the VA provides. Long wait times, denied claims, and charities like Hunter 7 come in as a stopgap. So Dex tells Sarah she should apply for financial assistance. At first, Sarah seemed reluctant. Maybe she was just underwater with everything she had going on. So Dex offered to step in and submit an application for Sarah.

The reality is many veterans face huge gaps in the health care the VA provides. Long wait times, denied claims, and charities like Hunter 7 come in as a stopgap. So Dex tells Sarah she should apply for financial assistance. At first, Sarah seemed reluctant. Maybe she was just underwater with everything she had going on. So Dex offered to step in and submit an application for Sarah.

She couldn't know this then, but this simple act of kindness would set something in motion. Something that would forever alter the way Dex saw Sarah.

She couldn't know this then, but this simple act of kindness would set something in motion. Something that would forever alter the way Dex saw Sarah.

Tom Schumann first met Sarah Kavanaugh in the snowy mountains of Boulder, Colorado, at a patrol base Abate retreat.

Tom Schumann first met Sarah Kavanaugh in the snowy mountains of Boulder, Colorado, at a patrol base Abate retreat.

This retreat was similar to the one in Montana we told you about. Hang out, work out, talk, connect. That was the goal. That's why Tom founded PB Abate in the first place. He's a Marine, and when he returned from his tours overseas, he watched his comrades struggle. He told us three of his fellow Marines died by suicide over the course of one month. And that is what led him to start PB Abate.

This retreat was similar to the one in Montana we told you about. Hang out, work out, talk, connect. That was the goal. That's why Tom founded PB Abate in the first place. He's a Marine, and when he returned from his tours overseas, he watched his comrades struggle. He told us three of his fellow Marines died by suicide over the course of one month. And that is what led him to start PB Abate.