PREVENTION. MORRISEY. LORI. THIS STARTED AS JUST AN IDEA AND NOW IT’S GAINING COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND IT’S TURNING INTO MUCH MORE THAN JUST SKATEBOARDING. THIS JOURNEY IS ABOUT MAKING SURE NO ONE IS FIGHTING ALONE AND BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS COMMUNITIES. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE HOPING WITH THIS. SKATEBOARDING TOO, IS NOW PEOPLE ARE GOING TO REALIZE PEOPLE ARE BEHIND THEM IN THEIR FIGHT. THEY’RE NOT FIGHTING ALONE. CALIFORNIA HAS MORE THAN 3000 MILES FROM YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, AND THAT’S A JOURNEY. MATTHEW SNOW IS GOING TO TAKE COMPLETELY ON A SKATEBOARD. I FOUND THAT I AM ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH PEOPLE PRETTY EASILY AND OPENLY, AND THEY, I SOME REASON HAVE LIKE A TRUST WITH ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT SOMEHOW. AND WHAT BETTER OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION THAN A SLOW AND STEADY PACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SPREADING THE WORD. AFTER EXPERIENCING HIS OWN STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH, SNOW SAYS HE’S LOOKING TO ADVOCATE FOR OTHERS. AS SOMEONE ONCE DID FOR HIM. I’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW. AND THAT WAS SOMETHING SOMEBODY SAID TO ME ON ONE OF MY DARK DAYS THAT. THAT’S WHY I’M STILL HERE. SOME DAYS, JUST REMEMBERING THAT SIMPLE PHRASE. AND JUST LIKE THAT’S ON MY SHIRT. I MEAN, A SIMPLE SENTENCE CAN MEAN THE WORLD TO SOMEBODY. THE GOAL IS TO BUILD CONNECTIONS AND SPREAD AWARENESS. A MISSION THAT ALIGNS WITH BUILDING BRIDGES. FOR BRIANNA, A GROUP DEDICATED TO PREVENTING SUICIDE IN YORK EVERY MILE OF THE SKATEBOARDING JOURNEY SERVES A PURPOSE, REINFORCING THE FACT THAT NO ONE HAS TO FIGHT ALONE. I’M BLOWN AWAY. HIS HIS PASSION BEHIND THIS AND HIS STORY AND EVERYTHING THAT HE’S BEEN THROUGH. NOW HE’S TAKEN HIS PAIN, HIS SUFFERING, AND HE’S TURNING IT INTO HELPING OTHERS. JUST LIKE I DID WHEN I LOST MY DAUGHTER. YOU KNOW, IT’S JUST TURNING OUR OUR GRIEF INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE. EVERY SINGLE PUSH OF THE BOARD CREATES A CONVERSATION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE SOMEONE’S LIFE. JUST REMEMBER, BRIANNA SAYING, KEEP FIGHTING. I BELIEVE IN YOU. YOU ARE A STAR. ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE STRUGGLING. SNOW’S JOURNEY KICKS OFF NEXT WEEK AND HE’LL BE BACK IN SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AT THE END OF THE MONTH. THERE WAS AN INTERACTIVE WEBSITE CREATED TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH HIS PROGRESS. WE’LL HAVE THAT POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AT WGAL.COM. LIVE IN DOWNTOWN NEW YORK, I’M MARCY WALSH. WGAL NEWS EIGHT. MARCY, THANKS SO MUCH. AN IMPORTANT CAUSE. AND JUST A REMINDER, IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN CRISIS, YOU CAN ALWAY
York County man skateboarding across the US to promote mental health awareness
Updated: 7:30 PM EDT Jun 22, 2026
Matthew Snow, a York County resident, is embarking on a 3,000-mile skateboarding journey from New Jersey to California to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. “What better opportunity to spread the message of mental health and suicide prevention than a slow and steady pace, cross-country and spreading the word,” Snow said. A mission rooted in personal experienceSnow’s mission is deeply personal, as he advocates for those struggling with mental health issues and recovering from burns, inspired by someone who once supported him during his own challenges. “Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow. And that was something somebody said to me on one of my dark days. That’s why I’m still here. Some days, just remembering that simple phrase. And just like that’s on my shirt, I mean, a simple sentence can mean the world to someone,” Snow said.Community support behind the journeySnow is not alone in his journey. Local organizations, including Building Bridges for Brianna and Healing Phoenix Arts, have joined his effort, emphasizing that no one has to fight alone. “I’m blown away at his passion behind this and his story and everything that he’s been through. Now, he’s taking his pain, his suffering, and he’s turning it into helping others. Just kind of like I did when I lost my daughter, you know, it’s just turning our grief into something positive,” said Matt Dorgan of Building Bridges for Brianna. Spreading awareness with every mileEven as Snow travels thousands of miles away from York, his community will be with him in spirit, advocating for awareness with every push of his skateboard. The journey aligns with the mission of Building Bridges for Brianna, a York-based group dedicated to suicide prevention.“We’re not suffering in silence anymore. We’re opening up and we’re talking, and it’s okay not to be OK. We just can’t stay that way. How do we not stay that way? We start opening up, talking and doing things like this. Deep learning across the country. It’s going to impact thousands of lives. And if we can just save that one, then we just did our job,” Dorgan said.You can follow along with Snow’s journey here.
YORK, Pa. —
Matthew Snow, a York County resident, is embarking on a 3,000-mile skateboarding journey from New Jersey to California to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.
“What better opportunity to spread the message of mental health and suicide prevention than a slow and steady pace, cross-country and spreading the word,” Snow said.
A mission rooted in personal experience
Snow’s mission is deeply personal, as he advocates for those struggling with mental health issues and recovering from burns, inspired by someone who once supported him during his own challenges.
“Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow. And that was something somebody said to me on one of my dark days. That’s why I’m still here. Some days, just remembering that simple phrase. And just like that’s on my shirt, I mean, a simple sentence can mean the world to someone,” Snow said.
Community support behind the journey
Snow is not alone in his journey. Local organizations, including Building Bridges for Brianna and Healing Phoenix Arts, have joined his effort, emphasizing that no one has to fight alone.
“I’m blown away at his passion behind this and his story and everything that he’s been through. Now, he’s taking his pain, his suffering, and he’s turning it into helping others. Just kind of like I did when I lost my daughter, you know, it’s just turning our grief into something positive,” said Matt Dorgan of Building Bridges for Brianna.
Spreading awareness with every mile
Even as Snow travels thousands of miles away from York, his community will be with him in spirit, advocating for awareness with every push of his skateboard. The journey aligns with the mission of Building Bridges for Brianna, a York-based group dedicated to suicide prevention.
“We’re not suffering in silence anymore. We’re opening up and we’re talking, and it’s okay not to be OK. We just can’t stay that way. How do we not stay that way? We start opening up, talking and doing things like this. Deep learning across the country. It’s going to impact thousands of lives. And if we can just save that one, then we just did our job,” Dorgan said.
You can follow along with Snow’s journey here.