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Va. (WWBT) – With every step, Kyndal Ray Edwards is on a mission to let everyone know they are loved
“There’s a lot of people out there that feel lonely and feel hopeless, feel like nobody cares,” he said. “I don’t have to know somebody in person to mean it from the bottom of my heart when I tell them that I love them and I care about them and I’m glad that they’re here today.”
A posterboard with “You Matter” amplifies this message, a phrase Edwards is walking across America with to raise awareness about mental health
“I’ve dealt with a lot of depression, addiction, and a life of crime,” he said. “My second time in prison was a 5-year prison sentence. I remembered after I changed my life a little less than two years in, I was in my last year in a work release program. I had already became a whole different person and I realized I wanted to walk across America.”
On Jan. 1, 2022, Edwards started his trek with a goal to make an impact in every corner of the country
“Huge words that have literally stopped people in different states that were just on their way home to take their life,” said Edwards. “They stop and cry with me like man I was on my way home to end everything today and I needed this sign today and now I’m not going to.”
More than four years later, this heartfelt reminder is reaching Central Virginia. On Thursday morning, Edwards visited the Chesterfield County Jail to share his story
“It is a story of resilience, it’s a story of recovery, but mostly it’s a story of hope,” said Chesterfield Sheriff Karl Leonard
This is a topic close to Sheriff Leonard’s heart. In 2016, he started the HARP program to help inmates recover from substance-use disorder
“Jails have become the drop zone for people suffering from mental illness, so we’re just trying to be a little bit more proactive and bring the mental health treatment into our jail,” said Sheriff Leonard
Richmond is the next stop on Edwards’ journey as looks to finish his trek at the West Quoddy Lighthouse in Lubec, Maine on Oct. 25
A walking testimony Edwards hopes will provide light during the darkest days
“I hope that you make it through it, just keep your head up and stay strong,” he said. “As cliche as it is, this too shall pass. You all have value and purpose and you all matter so very much.”
During his journey, Edward is also raising money to help the nonprofit, Never Alone Recovery. To learn more about the fundraiser,click here
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