How Mark Moss and UPLIFT Are Bringing Awareness and Raising Money for Suicide Prevention Through CrossFit 

Mark Moss’s grandfather committed suicide in 2013. And, like for many tragedies, there were remembrance walks. 

These were events where people could gather to walk and celebrate the life of their friend or family member. Moss and his family went to remembrance walks honoring his Grandpa for years, but it never felt like enough.

• “They always made me feel sad, and I would leave in a bad headspace,” Moss told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview.

Fitness had always been important to his grandfather. So, during COVID, Moss decided to throw his own impromptu celebration of life. 

He called a few buddies up to come and throw down with him, all in the name of suicide awareness.

He told his wife the plan — they were going to do a workout, have a hashtag, and hope that somebody would see it.

• “Hopefully, this helps somebody where they can reach out if they’re having mental health issues or depressed,” Moss thought.

She suggested Moss to dream bigger.

He started messaging people in the Louisiana CrossFit community, including some gym owners around New Orleans.

• “I found someone who printed shirts, and I asked him if he could take care of that for me. I wanted people to have these shirts on so that it could be a conversation starter about suicide while we were doing the workout,” he said.

The first year was chaotic, but the shirts made their way around, and Moss managed to sell over 500 of them. 

They raised almost $4000, which Moss donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The company Moss worked for matched that amount, so he was able to send a sizable donation.

Moss rode the momentum and continued to get people involved in the organization. 

He appeared on Chase Ingraham and Bill Grundler’s “Get With the Programming” podcast.

• Moss: “I broke down—it was sometimes hard to get through because it was super raw and emotional. I still get choked up about my Grandad and how it affected our family.”

He paused at this point in out interview.

• “How it still affects our family,” he said.

Now named UPLIFT, Moss’s organization still aims to raise money and awareness about suicide, but they concentrate on members of the armed services. 

Moss’s grandfather was an Air Force veteran who served for over 20 years. He worked on helicopters during the Vietnam War.

• Through the chaos that came with the first year of selling shirts for UPLIFT, Moss ended up with more shirts than he had sold, so he started sending them out to spread the word. 

That group included Adrian Bozman who has now become a big supporter of UPLIFT and offered to help in any way he could. 

The two stayed in contact and met in person at the Rogue Invitational last year, where Moss’ friend, CrossFit Games athlete Scott Tetlow, was competing. 

This year, Moss decided to take Boz up on his offer to help and asked the Games programmer to program this year’s UPLIFT workout.

The workout with take place on September 7, and the vibe is very similar to Murph.

• Moss describes it: “In Murph, everybody comes together throughout the community from all around, and they do the workout. That’s how I want UPLIFT to be.”

Moss is excited to give all of the proceeds raised this year to Warrior Wod. 

• “This year, we switched to Warrior Wod because we really wanted to address veteran suicide,” Moss said. “My Grandad was a vet, and I know some of his friends committed suicide as well — veteran suicides are at an all-time high.”

Emma Skellie, a past participant, is helping Moss run this year’s third iteration of the event. For her, the community aspect is vital.

• “When you think in terms of suicide or anything with mental health,” she told the Morning Chalk Up in an interview, “it’s your community and your support system that gets you through. So we are having everyone support each other, do this workout, and come together for a great cause.”

The event will be held at CrossFit Franco’s with heats throughout the day for participants invited from ten local gyms. 

And of course, there will be more shirts.

Tetlow, who is also a Special Warfare Combat Crewman in the United States Navy and a member of the 2024 CrossFit Games Demo Team, wore an UPLIFT shirt during his weekend at the North America West Semifinal.

Curious fans who saw Tetlow reached out to UPLIFT to learn more about the organization and shared their stories.

• “They told me that at some point in their life, they struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts. And they found fitness and were able to turn it around due to fitness and the community,” Moss said.

Moss and UPLIFT do more than the yearly event. They are now doing monthly challenges so they can impact people all year long. Head here to see how you can participate in this month’s challenge, programmed by Brandon Luckett.

Featured image: @sarahmossphotography / Instagram