Participants and volunteers gather at the finish line for the Signal Run on June 13, 2026.
Courtesy/Awareness Warriors Foundation
It’s a simple message, but one Randy “Rousky” Villanueva and the Awareness Warriors Foundation, a nonprofit focused on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, aimed to spread with its Signal Run on June 13. Villanueva, along with dozens of others, made up the first wave of the run, which began their 32-mile trek at 3 a.m. on the border between Webb and Zapata counties.
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Along their path, the marathoners picked up other runners who opted to run a half marathon, 10K, 5K or the 1K tribute walk, which paid tribute to Vietnam War veterans and included them in the event. The runners from each wave crossed the finish line together at the Zapata County Courthouse, an ending spot intentionally chosen to show the community leaders’ support for the cause.
Following the race, Zapata County Judge Joe Ramthell signed a proclamation naming June 13 “The Signal Run: You Are Not Alone Day” in Zapata County.
“Too many people struggle in silence,” Villanueva said before the run. “Mental health doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care if you’re a veteran. It doesn’t care if you’re a first responder. It doesn’t care if you’re male or female. It hits everyone … This is why we do it, so people know that they’re not alone regardless of who you are.”
Villanueva believes that raising awareness through exercise and human connection is the best way to combat the adverse effects of mental health challenges.
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“Isolation is the enemy and depression hates a moving target,” Villanueva said of the Awareness Warriors approach to raising awareness. “Physical fitness is not the cure, but it could be the medicine … we’re trying to get people out of isolation and connect with other people through movement.”
Runners reach the finish line of the Signal Run on June 13, 2026.
Courtesy/Awareness Warriors Foundation
It was the second time they had hosted a Signal Run, but the first open to community participation. When Villanueva completed the inaugural run, he was shocked by the support he received from community members along the way. As he struggled through the run, people parked their cars to bring him water or run with him for a portion of the route.
That response led Villanueva and the Awareness Warriors to open the run to the public and go all out for 2026. Over 100 runners participated this year, and that focus on togetherness is at the core of the Signal Run’s message.
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“I want people to realize that we need to come together,” Villanueva said. “If people are losing hope, maybe this will be the signal for them to reach out. That’s why it’s the Signal Run. People sometimes wait for a signal, and hopefully this is the signal that they need to reach out.”
That’s not the only symbolic gesture of the event. Villanueva completed the run carrying an additional 60 pounds from a weighted vest and 17 chain links. A veteran himself, Villanueva wears the chain links to represent the 17 veterans who die by suicide each day. He hopes that additional sacrifice can show the lengths he and others are willing to go to help those in need.
“The weight I’m carrying symbolizes the weight someone is carrying silently,” Villanueva said. “I’m carrying all that weight for them in hopes that they see me and say ‘look at what he’s doing, maybe I should reach out to someone, maybe I should seek help.’”
Randy “Rousky” Villanueva during the 32-mile Signal Run on June 13, 2026.
Courtesy/Awareness Warriors Foundation
But it’s not just Villanueva who opted to carry additional weight. Several other participants took on the burden for their runs, and many of those who opted for the marathon pushed themselves to the limit, having never run anything near 32 miles before. But for the cause, and with the support of onlooking first responders and fellow runners, they were willing to make that sacrifice.
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The widespread support wasn’t limited to participants. The Awareness Warriors worked alongside Bodify Functional Fitness to plan the event. Zapata County officials and the Zapata County Police Department approved the run’s ending point and helped keep runners hydrated, respectively. L&F Distributors created signs for the event, and the Zapata Roadrunners custom-made a banner for the finish line.
Having others step up and be supportive, even in small ways, is exactly what Villanueva and the Awareness Warriors are trying to encourage.
“It’s up to each and every one of us,” Villanueva said. “Call, check up on your people, show up for them. That’s what we need to do for one another … sometimes what people need is just someone to be there. Maybe all they need is someone to listen.”
Because, according to Villanueva, that could be all it takes to save a life.
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“We’re all someone’s lifeline,” Villanueva said. “You’re someone’s lifeline, you just don’t know it yet.”
To learn more about the Awareness Warriors Foundation or its mental health awareness initiatives, visit the organization’s Facebook page, Awareness Warriors Foundation, where contact information is available.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, you can call 988 to access the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or find help online at https://988lifeline.org.
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