Jim Tough, a.k.a. The Push-Up Guy, is a 14-year military veteran. Over the course of his career, he served 11 years as an Army infantryman and three years as a recruiter. In 2002, Jim suffered two heart attacks mere weeks apart, shortly before his tentative deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Due to health concerns, he was considered non-deployable, serving the remainder of his military career as a non-commissioned officer.

Jim joins us today to share his experience of surviving multiple heart attacks and his internal battle with darkness. He explains why he lost his sense of purpose after surviving two heart attacks and the impact it had on his life and marriage. He explains how participating in the 22 for 22 Challenge inspired him to motivate other military veterans to push back against depression and suicide and how applying the values you learned and developed in the military to your daily life can help you find the light at the end of the dark tunnel.

“The 22 is my contribution of trying to get people to back off the edge of the cliff and quit staring into the abyss.” - Jim Tough

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DISCLAIMER: This content is created purely to help veterans tell their story and bring awareness to post combat-related disorders including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. The Surviving Me hosts are not, nor claim to be, medical doctors, psychologists, or psychiatrists and should not be held responsible for any claims, medical advice, or therapy/treatment recommendations mentioned on this podcast. Any advice shared by the hosts or their guests is strictly for purposes of bringing awareness to the veteran community and the services available. Please speak with your doctor or medical professional before taking any advice or starting any therapy or treatment program discussed or shared on this podcast.