NEWBURYPORT, Mass. – A group of veterans are spending the week on the road, walking 100 miles from Maine to Massachusetts in an effort to raise awareness about PTSD.

They started Monday in Kittery, Maine, and will continue through Saturday, when they arrive at Gillette Stadium. Their journey benefits Semper Fi and America’s Fund, a nonprofit supporting combat-wounded service members and their families.

For Daniel Deakins, the walk has been nothing new from an endurance standpoint. He’s run races and marathons before. After serving 14 months in Afghanistan as an Army infantry line medic, he turned to fitness as he adjusted to civilian life.

“There’s no book that lays out plans and steps for you, so everyone’s transition is a little different because everyone’s time in service is a little bit different,” Deakins said. “My story was recovery through sport. You find that therapy, you find that meditation, and for me, it was exercise.”

During the 100-mile walk, Deakins said the group of roughly a dozen veterans help to keep each other motivated.

“The camaraderie and the brotherhood out here, it keeps the morale high and keeps you motivated to keep going,” Deakins said.

For all of the veterans, the mission of Semper Fi & America’s Fund has deep personal ties. 

John Shafer served in the Marines for nine years, suffering multiple traumatic brain injuries from IED explosions. He said the walk has given him time to reflct on his own battles.

“For myself, it's a testament of what we can overcome together,” Shafer said. “I’ve been on the other side where I isolated, struggled, felt depressed, substance abuse, you name it. Suicidal ideation, as well as attempts. I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without the fund, and that’s something I can never pay them back or say thank you enough for.”

Along their walk, word of their mission has been spreading. Someone who lives along their route offered to give them their flag, and drivers frequently signal their support with their horns.

On Saturday, when they arrive at Gillette Stadium, a crowd of hundreds of people will be waiting for them. One hundred miles is a lot of walking, but there’s plenty to look forward to.

“That stuff right there makes you smile, and the knee pain and the walking is all worth it when you see that, touching someone's life that you don't know but you can relate to,” Shafer said. “In the military, we’re trained to fight and we fight. And then we get out and we're left alone. You kind of have to reassess, and you can't do it alone.”