Zach Tidwell is many incredible things–from a former Marines machine gunner to an extreme sports athlete to now a published game developer–but not least incredible is his drive, resilience and ability to embrace being uncomfortable head on.In part one of this conversation, Zach and I explore what it was like growing up as a nomadic military brat, the impact of having a younger sister with Down syndrome had on him and his family, and the role wrestling and snowboarding played in developing his passion for extreme sports; explore his life as a Marine, including the exhilarating and high-risk job of being a machine gunner and the two deployments that took him all over Asia and the Pacific; and dive into the traumatic experiences that set him spiraling into deep-rooted depression that climaxed on one tragic night when he put a bullet in his head.

ResourcesZanagramsExercise your brain during your downtime with this new unique twist on word-puzzles you’ve come to know and love.Each puzzle contains six clues you’ll aim to find the one-word answers for. Each answer is broken-up into groups of two or three letters, presented as buttons in the lower portion of your screen, and jumbled for your brain-teasing enjoyment. Try to spell out each of the answers in the puzzle by tapping buttons to add them to your spelling.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline⁠

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. Dial 988 and press 1 if you are a veteran in crisis.