Rise Up & Fight Ministries: 2025 — A Year in Review

There’s no easy way to open something like this, but I felt it necessary to report the grim statistics.

According to First H.E.L.P., 129 first responder suicides were reported in 2025. And you and I both know the real unspoken, unreported number is way higher. That number represents firefighters, law enforcement, EMTs, and dispatchers. One hundred and twenty-nine lives. One hundred and twenty-nine families torn apart.

There really is no silver lining in any of this, but there is a positive trend. These numbers are also the lowest reported total since First H.E.L.P. began tracking these deaths in 2016.

Let me be clear: any number above zero is unacceptable. Every loss is tragic. Every name matters.

But progress matters too. And progress tells us that awareness, conversations, training, chaplaincy, counseling, and showing up are saving lives.

That’s why we keep going.

A Calling That Became a Mission

In January of last year, I received my chaplain ordination. At the time, I didn’t fully understand how much that moment would open the door to where I am now. What I did know was this: first responders needed someone who understood the job, the weight, the calls carried deep in their psyche, and the silence that follows.

That ordination gave me access. Access to sit with firefighters, deputies, EMTs, dispatchers, and medics in some of their darkest moments. Access to walk alongside them instead of trying to fix them. We can't fix their situation, but we will sit next to them in the pit of darkness.

That’s where this ministry really took root.

Getting the Word Out

In 2025, we leaned hard into podcasting and weekly blogs, pushing information out the best way we know how—raw, honest, and grounded in experience.

Our hope has always been simple: that something we say, something we write, or something we share helps someone feel less alone—or nudges them toward help before it’s too late. At RUAF we want you to know everything we know.

Knowledge is power.

Training, Presentations, and Showing Up

This year also included multiple trainings and presentations at area agencies and special events, all pro bono. Because if money is the barrier, then money shouldn’t be the excuse. Who can say no to free?

We talked mental health. Trauma. PTSD. Suicide prevention. Addiction. Divorce. Chaplaincy. That stuff doesn’t always fit neatly into policy manuals but shows up every shift. And I have yet to be in an agency where someone wasn't struggling with 1 or more of these issues.

Fundraising, Golf Courses, and Unexpected Conversations

This summer we launched our golf course fundraising efforts, and what an incredible experience that turned out to be. Beyond raising funds for the mission, it opened doors I never expected.

The outings were a total blast. In addition to raising money for RUAF, we were also able to raise money for the tournament charities as well. Everybody wins with the RUAF Code 18 Par 3 Challenge. A golf mission for first responder health.

I met so many amazing people. Countless people who care deeply about first responders.

I met Sheriffs, prosecutors, politicians, and some real characters as well. I am looking forward to more outings this season. So, watch out for us the golf courses this summer.

I had opportunities to bring awareness to the darkness that lies beneath the surface in the responder services to Lions clubs, Rotary, American Legion, Alpha 11 Roundtable, Wanye County DAV, Wooster CR, and 100 Women That Care, and more.

Grateful Beyond Words

We were also incredibly blessed by a haircut fundraiser held by a local salon specifically to benefit Rise Up and Fight Ministries. To everyone who gave, planned, showed up, and supported—thank you. Truly. You believed in the mission enough to stand behind it, and that matters more than you know.

The Biggest Win

Of everything we did in 2025, this is the one that matters most:

We were able to help first responders get into counseling through connections.

Not someday. Not “maybe later.”

In the trenches.

In their ears.

In their faces if required.

If Rise Up and Fight did nothing else this year but that...

We want to do that every day.

Looking Ahead

We’re not slowing down.

In 2026, we will continue:

• Getting helpful, accurate information out

• Training agencies

• Raising awareness through fundraising

• Starting hard conversations in more rooms

And yes—we’re pushing those conversations upward, into local, state, and federal spaces, because first responder suicide is a systems issue.

We’re also looking to add two new directors to our board, strengthening leadership and expanding reach for what’s coming next.

Thanks (x1000)

To the mission partners.

To the donors.

To the agencies who trusted us.

To the counselors.

To the “angels” working quietly in the background.

To everyone who sent a message, shared a post, prayed, or opened a door.

Thank you.

And above all, thank You to the Most High God—for opening doors I couldn’t open myself, for blessings that literally fell out of the sky, and for carrying this ministry farther than I ever imagined.

This journey has been humbling. It’s been heavy. It’s been holy.

And I’m believing—with everything in me—that 2026 will be even more impactful.

We’re not done.

Stay safe out there.

-Tom

“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” -Isaiah 6:8

We are a trauma-informed 501(c)(3) on a mission to bring hope, healing, and restoration to first responders and their families- Through chaplaincy, crisis response, formal training, and peer support initiatives, we strive to educate and offer support. Please consider donating today at http://www.riseupfight.org/donate