Ohio man kayaking Mississippi for his mental health
He is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and started “Kayak 4 a cause“June 1. He plans to cover the 2,350 miles of the Mississippi in 70 to 90 days.
He traveled 200 miles to Grand Rapids, where he spent a few days recovering from a cracked tooth that needed to be extracted.
But Solomon is not discouraged. He found peace while paddling after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in 2012.
“It took a good six years to get back to some semblance of normalcy,” he said. “I started paddling for this natural healing and I was like, well, why don’t I also represent other people with mental health issues to let them know that they are not alone and that we’re all in the same boat. “
He said many people have no say in their own mental health issues and he wants to be both an advocate and a source of hope.
“Basically what I’m talking about here is that love and community around someone with a mental health issue can help them live a better life,” Solomon said. “I’m a great example of that. There has been a lot of love and community around me that has helped me thrive with this horrible mental state that I have.”
It also raises funds for Adventure crew, a Cincinnati organization that takes downtown school kids into the wild.
“The way I see it, they are the future leaders of this country,” he said. “So why not take them outside and appreciate Mother Nature and what she has to offer for us.”