RUTLAND — If you live in town or the surrounding area, chances are you’ve seen Cherilyn Bulger out rucking for a good cause.
The 48-year-old took part in the annual 50 Mile Run Challenge fundraiser to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization near and dear to her heart. Her father, Terrance Bulger, a Vietnam veteran, died in 2014 from complications related to his service, including exposure to Agent Orange.
“Veterans come home and usually get a rating from the Veterans Affairs regarding the degree of their wounds; then they can receive services. Sometimes, these services are not enough. Wounded Warriors steps in to assist veterans with their needs,” Cherilyn shared. “My father did not receive any services until the very end of his life, and by then it was too late.”
She grew up in Rutland, attended Naquag and Wachusett Regional High School, and besides college, has lived in town the majority of her life.
Cherilyn said she decided to ruck instead of run for the challenge that takes place every March and mostly did her miles on Main Street in Rutland and Holden, carrying an American flag and other flags tucked into a 22-pound backpack, a number that has great significance.
“On average, 22 veterans take their own lives every day,” she said. “There are definitely services out there to assist our struggling veterans, and I wanted to bring awareness to Wounded Warriors in this way. We just need to get them to the people who need them before it’s too late.” While she is out rucking in the community, Cherilyn said she has a dozen veterans on her mind, including her father.
“I think about the veterans that are on the flag that I made with the names of veterans I love very much. I carry them with me physically and in my heart. They range from veterans of World War II to our most recent veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. I also think about the kind of mental fortitude that one must possess to be in the armed services, and if something begins to pain me, I assess and think, ‘Can you ignore that pain? And, can you keep going?’ The answer is always yes. If a Marine at Parris Island can ruck with twice the weight I have and for longer distances, then I can certainly move on.”
Another big inspiration behind her efforts is Robert Mador, founder of Bridges For The Fallen, who “has named over 1,800 bridges across the U.S. in memory of fallen active-duty service members.” Cherilyn said Mador, who she calls an “amazing man,” gave her a keychain in 2014 at an event where he was running the WWP food truck, and again in 2021 when her house burned down.
“When he gave me that keychain, it was like a spell had been broken,” Cherilyn recalled. “He never forgot that moment either. When I looked for him seven years later, he still remembered it. He is a phenomenal man who tirelessly works to honor the memory of fallen soldiers.”
She said “the Wachusett community has been wonderful” in their support of her efforts, making donations to WWP (support. woundedwarriorproject. org) and interacting with her while she is out and about.
“People beep and give me thumbs up,” Cherilyn said. “One gentleman did so and yelled out ‘My son is in the Air Force!’ We both cheered for that. I think that our community certainly honors our veterans and knows the sacrifice that a man or a woman makes when they decide to commit themselves to the armed services.”
On her father’s funeral prayer card, she summarized his favorite song, “Question” by the Moody Blues: “Why do we never get an answer / When we’re knocking on the door / With a thousand million questions about / Hate and death and war? / And when you stop and think about it / You won’t believe it’s true / That all the love you’ve been giving / Has all been meant for you.”
She passed the 50-mile mark on March 18 but did not stop there. She ended up doing more than 75 miles by the time she wrapped up her WWP efforts shortly after March 29, Vietnam Veteran’s Day.
She recently made good on her word “move onto other ventures” to keep raising awareness for vets by signing up for an event in New Hampshire on May 20, 22 for the 22, a fundraiser (glcf.fcsuite. com/erp/donate/create/ fund?funit_id=1260) to benefit Hidden Battles, a nonprofit organization that strives to help preserve the healthy minds of veterans, firefighters, police officers and first responders through treatment and counseling for depression, suicidal tendencies and PTSD.
“That’s 22 kilometers to remember our 22 veterans who take their own lives every day. Every day,” Cherilyn said. “I didn’t want my journey to end yet, so I just knew I had to do more.”
She said Mador, her father, and all veterans, those she has met and those she has not, are what kept her going in March through the cold, snow, sore and painful feet, and more, and what will keep her going.
“I know many veterans. I know veterans with Purple Hearts. I know veterans who didn’t make it back. I know veterans with PTSD. And I know soon-to-be veterans. This is not a political statement, it’s a veteran statement: One human at a time. In our world, which is designed for war, citizens of our country decide to defend and fight for what their country asks them to. When they come home, they should want for nothing. If we cannot live in a world ruled by peace, then let it be ruled by men and women who are seeking it. Until then I hope that we may all live in our own peace while we can and rest in peace eternal when the day comes.”
