'Chasing Freedom 5K' To Honor Brookwood Native, Raise Funds For Veterans Mental Health

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Operation Allies Refuge (OAR) Foundation will host the Chasing Freedom 5K in December to celebrate the life of Brookwood native Hunter Chase Whitley while raising awareness of the mental health issues faced by military veterans.

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The event is set for Dec. 2 at 10 a.m., beginning at Denny Chimes on the campus of the University of Alabama. This will be followed by a celebration of Whitley's life at River District Park at noon.

As Patch previously reported, Whitley was a 2018 graduate of Brookwood High School and went on to join the United States Marines Corps.

A family member told Patch in April that he served in the infantry and saw combat in Operation Allies Refuge in Afghanistan in August 2021 during the deadly evacuation of the Kabul airport. He then returned to his hometown and enrolled at the University of Alabama, where he majored in computer science.

Whitley took his own life on Nov. 13, 2022, at the age of 23, and was memorialized later that month as part of UA's Operation Iron Ruck — a veterans initiative that coincides with the Iron Bowl to raise awareness of veteran suicide.

"The rising veteran mental health crisis in America is a pressing issue," the OAR Foundation said in an announcement for the 5K. "We need to focus on providing better support, accessible resources, and reducing the stigma around mental health for our servicemen and women. Taking care of their well-being is a shared responsibility."

The OAR Foundation also mentioned the Hunter Whitley Butterfly Initiative — a push for mental health awareness and support with a mission of breaking the stigma around mental health for veterans, while uniting communities in finding ways to help those facing mental health challenges.

Those with questions or individuals wishing to donate to the OAR Foundation are asked to email at info@operationalliesrefugefoundation.org.

Click here to register.

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