EC Student Honors Veterans Through Monthlong Pushup Challenge

Elmira College student Samuel Cunha ’26 plans to raise money and awareness to support Stop Soldier Suicide by doing at least 2,000 pushups this November. His goal is to raise $500 and complete 100-150 pushups each day of the month. As of 9:00 a.m. on Veterans Day, he had raised $61 and completed 1,100 pushups.

The Business Administration major is no stranger to completing physical awareness challenges. On 9/11, he completed a stair climb challenge in honor of first responders and raised money to support EC’s Extraordinary Circumstances Scholarship.

But his current challenge is more personal.

When Cunha was young, his older brothers each returned home after their combat tours in the military. His oldest brother is 13 years older and served in the Army infantry. His next-oldest brother is 9 years older and was a sailor in the Navy. While he didn’t fully understand everything, he sensed their tensions and saw times when they struggled to adjust to civilian life.

“It was hard for me as a kid. As a child, I didn’t know what was going on. I just saw that my brothers were upset, and I wanted to help,” Cunha confided.

Over time, Cunha’s brothers were able to navigate their returns, thanks in part to the support of their family and friends. However, not everyone succeeds.

According to the Stop Soldier Suicide website, veteran suicide is 58% higher than average.

In his role as a nationally registered emergency medical technician (NREMT), Cunha has seen veterans in distress and had to escort them to treatment because they were at risk of hurting themselves or others. Fourth of July fireworks can often be a trigger, he explained.

Part of the issue for veterans is the cultural stigma about mental health.

“It’s a topic that people have a hard time talking about,” said Cunha, adding his brothers didn’t want to discuss their struggles either.

But Cunha has seen the topic getting more attention, citing a new documentary just released on Netflix called “In Waves and War.” It follows three former Navy SEALs as they sought treatment for their severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and brain injuries. He’s also encouraged by the work of organizations like Stop Soldier Suicide, which provides free mental health support to veterans. It’s what motivated him to initiate the pushup challenge.

“I might not hit the $500 mark with my challenge, and that’s fine,” he said. “My bigger hope is to raise awareness about mental health for veterans, or to connect a veteran to a service that they might not know is available to them.”

“Hopefully, veterans don’t have to hide when they are struggling. Instead, they can get help,” he said.

Click here to support Cunha’s pushup awareness challenge.