Why the Road to the Monument Matters to Me—and to The Human Behind The Responder

As the founder and president of The Human Behind The Responder (a Canadian not-for profit organization), my motivation has always centered on one fundamental truth: with every call for service to 911, is a human being behind the uniform who answers. HBR’s motto, movement is medicine, is the central theme of my organization.  Much of my life has included movement to get me to work and other places – mostly on a bicycle.  Why drive when a bike will get you there just as well. 

I want The Human Behind The Responder (let’s call it HBR for short) to be an organization that reminds us that physical connection, shared struggles, and community are vital to the mental well-being and resilience of those who serve on the front lines. 

That is why the Road to the Monument (RTTM) campaign isn't just another initiative to me—it is a cherished personal calling.  Canada’s paramedics and dispatchers deserve a space and a place of honour and recognition. A place where practitioners and the general public can visit, can reflect and appreciate the people who choose to wear the uniform.

For over a decade, the Canadian Paramedic Memorial Foundation (CPMF) has worked tirelessly toward a singular, vital goal: establishing a National Paramedic Monument at Commissioner’s Park, in Ottawa. Unlike other public safety personnel, Canadian paramedics still lack a dedicated national monument in our nation's capital to permanently honour their commitment, service, and for some, the ultimate sacrifice.  Here I am remined of Mike McKenzie and Jenna Croucher who died while on duty earlier this year in a crash with a transport truck. 

When the RTTM Crew embarks on Year-1 of their journey starting in St. John’s, Newfoundland around June 1^st of next year, they aren't just riding bikes across tough terrain and Atlantic headwinds. They are carrying the stories, grief, and legacy of Canadian paramedics forward.  These intrepid cyclists and their dedicated support crew will be drawing attention to the cause be being in the same rooms with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia members of Parliament, with paramedics (on duty and off) with paramedic service leadership and with families of the fallen.  Instead of sending an email or writing a post on social media the Crew of the Road To The Monument will be there and in person.  The Crew will also be delivering a ‘message in a bottle’ to hundreds of people at many stops along their journey.  What a beautiful and unique way to show how authentic their mission is.

The message in a bottle will be hand-delivery to hundreds of people the Crew meets along the route

The link between movement (exercise) and their mission is noteworthy.  These members will also be signalling to everyone they meet that they take their own health seriously.  There will be months of training leading up to RTTM.  All the exercise is part of their personal package – that is to prioritize the person behind the uniform.

At HBR, we believe in stepping up when it counts. Supporting the RTTM campaign means amplifying the incredible, long-standing groundwork laid by the CPMF. It means ensuring that our fallen medics are never forgotten, and that the physical and emotional toll carried by the humans behind the uniform is met with the national recognition and respect they deserve. 

The bike is simply the vehicle; the meetings and conversations along the route are what this mission is truly about. I am quite proud to stand alongside the RTTM Crew as we hit the road together in a few months. And, I invite our entire HBR community to join us in backing this national campaign. 

Movement is medicine.

Many Partners. One Mission. One Monument. 

Our primary theme at The Human Behind The Responder