Harborfields' Rhys Walter runs for mental health awareness

Rhys Walter's importance to Harborfields is felt every time he steps foot on the track, but it wasn't until his charitable mission, assisted by his loving and supportive family, that he made an impact on an entire community.

This story of goodwill and perseverance begins with the Natural Helpers, a school organization that nominates a select number of students to support and raise awareness to the mental health of their fellow students.

Walter, a junior, is a three-year member of the club, in its 32nd year at the school.

“It’s a really good cause,” he said. "Especially since it’s so prevalent today; mental health doesn’t really get the attention that it should. So, I’m glad that this organization does its part to help.”

Every November, Natural Helpers runs a retreat for two and a half days at the Quinipet Camp and Retreat Center on Shelter Island. There, 36 underclassmen (12 freshmen, 12 sophomores and 12 juniors) partake in multiple workshops that teach problem-solving skills regarding their social and emotional health, as well as any potential mental trauma. One notable workshop focuses on suicide prevention and provides the students with both advice and resources, such as the national and local suicide hotlines.

“I didn’t know how bad of a problem this was when I was a freshman,” Walter said. “When I went on the retreat and heard these other kids’ stories, that made me want to do my part to further the message.”

The retreat is expensive, so Walter wanted to help. Naturally. 

To help ease the cost for some students, Walter had a plan: use his athletic talent as a distance runner to raise money. On Feb. 15, 2024, he started a "GoFundMe" page with a goal of raising $2,000. In exchange for the community’s potential generosity, he pledged to run 1,000 miles on his own time (team practices and meets excluded) before he graduates in 2026.

Walter's grand gesture got off to a running start, as be eclipsed 430 miles through the first two months. But everything changed on April 29, 2024. While running the 400-meter hurdles at practice, his foot got pinned underneath a hurdle and he fell awkwardly, breaking his tibia and his fibula.

The injury required emergency surgery. He now has screws and plates in his right leg.

"Sometimes, it’s still hard,” Walter said. “I know it’s healed, but sometimes I’ll still feel it or remember the injury and not want to run at all. It was definitely traumatic.”

As Walter sat bedridden through the dark stage, a new light shone through. Turns out, he has a family of natural helpers.

Inspired by his cause, Walter’s mother, brother, sister, uncle and grandparents all took the charitable baton while he recovered. They walked, ran and swam. Together, his family totaled 200 miles in his place, a number that he is now counting toward his original goal of 1,000. That number is currently 844 miles. 

“I think everyone wanted to support him through his injury,” said his mother, Theresa Walter. “He comes from a family that’s super supportive, which I think probably helps him achieve his goals. It’s humbling. I’m just so proud to walk by his side while he does this. I feel so honored to be a part of this with him.”

Walter's other family stepped up, too.

Harborfields athletic director Rob Franco raised awareness of Walter's fundraising page and posted the link on the school’s website. The extra exposure worked, as small donations began to pour in. It's currently at $2,181.

Christine Buckley, the mother of former Harborfields soccer player Kiera Buckley and current Harborfields soccer and flag football player Abby Buckley, couldn't wait to donate.

“The Harborfields people have a strong sense of community,” she said. “What Rhys is doing is amazing: perseverance, determination, all of that. It makes you so proud when you see a young kid do that and is representing the community in such a positive way. We donated as soon as we saw it.”

Harborfields’ booster club, led by president Jen Bavaro, got involved and made a separate $1,000 donation on Sept. 17, 2024 to Walter’s cause.

“Our mission at the booster club is to support all of our athletes, help continue to build their programs, make their facilities better,” Bavaro said. “When we saw that Rhys was doing this awesome initiative on his own and he had broken his leg, and was still doing it, we decided to contribute this money. It helps the school, as well, so we felt it was a win-win because it supported both him and his program.”

Walter never gave up on his goal. He spent the rest of last spring and the summer doing workouts in the pool and physical therapy with electrostimulation.

“If anything, I was more motivated to recover and get back into it because of the goal,” Walter said.

Walter was cleared to start running again in the fall and returned to athletic competition with Harborfields’ indoor track team in December. He runs the 800 meter and is a member of their 4 x 400 meter relay team. He is also attempting to hurdle again, which has impressed coach George Kouroutis.

“For him to come back on the track, make a full recovery and attempt hurdling again just speaks volumes to who he is,” Kouroutis said. “As an athlete, that perseverance is just outstanding to me.”