“Without sport, I might not be here.” How community and exercise saved Grant’s family
For a period of time after discharging from the Defence Force, Grant Roder found it challenging to integrate into society and see the light at the end of the tunnel. One day something shifted for him, he found sport. He got on his bike, and he laced up his runners. Slowly, through movement, he started to see the light again.
Turning Darkness into Light
When things felt dark, sport gave Grant something to look forward to. Riding, running and exercising with his family gave him hope and got him out of the house. Movement through sport gave him clarity to process everything that was going on in his mind. The physical release helped reframe things in his mind and feel much clearer.
Grant shares, “Sport gives me the opportunity to focus my energy into something positive… The endorphins help my brain process negative emotions into positive.”
Benefits of Movement for Grant and His Family
For Grant, movement isn’t just for the physical benefits, it helps his mind too. On the days he doesn’t move, he can feel it. But, when he exercises, he feels lighter, more in control. For Grant, movement is the difference between feeling trapped and finding release. “Without exercise, I feel like I am in a cage. Exercise allows me to escape and work through tough emotions.”
It wasn’t just Grant who found comfort through sport, his family did too. Running and riding gave Grant a way to cope, to clear his mind and to show up in a positive way for his loved ones. They saw that movement was one of the ways that Grant processed his thoughts and because of this they were able to get through the hardest times together. He shared, “Sport has saved my family. Without it, I may not be lucky enough to say I am a family man.”
Running Toward a New Future
Grant can’t predict what lies ahead, but he knows that routine, support, and movement are his foundation for building a healthy mind. He has set personal challenges to drive his motivation, like walking six half marathons for six days in July to raise awareness and funds for Invictus Australia. It’s a way for him to give back and support others in the defence community who might be facing similar struggles.
“I’ve set challenges to raise awareness for mental health and want to connect more service members and families through sport.”
Grant knows that everyone’s journey is different, but he believes that movement and community can make a real difference. His story is a reminder that small steps can lead to meaningful change and that no one has to go it alone.
You can support Grant and learn more about his fundraising and challenge here.
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