CHARLEVOIX COUNTY - Combat wounded veterans gathered at Boyne Mountain on Tuesday for an adaptive ski clinic focused on physical activity and social connection. The event was organized by Semper Fi and America’s Fund to support service members living with life-altering injuries.
The program aims to combat high rates of substance abuse and suicide among veterans by rebuilding the support systems and camaraderie often lost after leaving the military. By hosting events in local areas, organizers help participants establish long-term networks with other veterans in their communities.
Jon Lujan, a former Marine and program leader, oversees the initiative and emphasized that the clinic provides more than just physical activity. He said the primary goal is ensuring veterans leave with social connections that last beyond the clinic. “We lose too many veterans to, substance abuse and suicide,” Lujan said. “And so getting them back into a place where they have a support system, where they’re back in the sport and then these local events are even special because now they have a group of four or five people they can hang out with in Michigan.”
Lujan’s commitment to the program stems from his own experience transitioning back to civilian life after a service-related injury. While serving in Iraq, he was injured in a vehicle accident and later became paralyzed from the waist down following a surgery. Over time, he regained some mobility and returned to skiing, which eventually led him to compete as a Paralympic alpine skier.
Returning to the slopes was a turning point in his recovery process. “Getting back into skiing was huge for me,” Lujan said. “You know, it was life changing because I grew up skiing and so getting to be able to get back on the hill and go fast was pretty rewarding.”
The clinic is structured to bring resources directly to the communities where veterans live. Lujan noted that this approach helps participants build a support network they can rely on after the event concludes. “This clinic’s unique in the fact that we come to the where the service members live and the idea is so that they can get to know one another and then they have a local support system for when we leave,” Lujan said.
Beyond social connection, the program focuses on the mental and physical health benefits of an active lifestyle for those with post-traumatic stress disorder. Lujan explained that many service members were physically fit before their injuries and benefited from returning to that state. “We’ve found that sports is a very good way to fight off demons from PTSD and from depression and it gives positive endorphins,” Lujan said. “And one of the commonalities is mostly service members. We’re very physically fit and active before they are injured. And so getting back into an active lifestyle is very important.”