David Roth takes a moment to reflect on his 144-mile walk across Indiana Wednesday at the Illinois-Indiana state line.

TERRE HAUTE — David Roth, a 20-plus year veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the chairman of the board for Helping Hands For Freedom, completed a five-day “test walk” across Indiana in preparation for next year’s Route for the Brave walk across America. Helping Hands For Freedom is a 501c3 non-profit that aids military families and children dealing with death, deployment and loss.

Roth began his walk in Richmond, and walked along US 40, arriving Wednesday in Terre Haute — a distance of 144 miles.

David Roth arrives in Terre Haute Wednesday during his “test walk” across Indiana. Next year, Roth will be walking along US 40 for Route For The Brave in hopes of raising funds for a retreat house for military families.

Route For The Brave will begin April 28, in Atlantic City, N.J., and travel across US 40 to San Francisco with a goal of raising funds for the construction of a retreat house.

“My stepson, Matt Coleman, is being deployed for the fifth time and the idea came about that way. Nothing breaks your heart more than trying to reintroduce children to their parent when they come back from being deployed. I am 40-something and in the grind of my life. There is a desire and a push to do one big adventure and what better way than to do this,” Roth said.

With the “test walk” complete, Roth said he sees momentum building for next year’s event.
“Each day, we get a phone call from a person wanting to donate or do an event for us. Obviously for me, success will be completing the trip, but it won’t stop there. I want to build the house that gives military families an opportunity to connect. When we get that first family and give them a place of retreat, that will be amazing. That’s everything right there,” he said.

For more information on Route the Brave, visit www.routeforthebrave.org and for more information on Helping Hands For Freedom, visit www.helpinghandsforfreedom.org.