SAN ANTONIO – In his office, Antonio Santana keeps photos that serve as constant reminders of the weight of sacrifice borne by veterans, their families and first responders. Each image tells a story, a testament to the struggles faced by those who serve.
Those images mark Santana’s own journey as a Marine Corps veteran with two combat tours, a former law enforcement officer and a man seeking mental wellness to confront the untold traumas of his past. These experiences ignited his passion to launch a podcast and later establish a nonprofit organization, Frontline Strong.
Through his nonprofit, Antonio provides free mental health services to veterans, first responders, and their family members. “We have helped over 350 individuals access free therapy, offering them 12 free therapy sessions,” he said.
Antonio emphasizes the challenges veterans face when navigating the barriers to mental well-being. “I almost took my life before I got out of law enforcement. What saved me was a picture of my daughter,” he reveals, highlighting the importance of personal connections in moments of despair.
Santana was fortunate to find a compassionate therapist outside of the VA who helped him process his experiences. His next mission is to step in to help those struggling with suicidal thoughts before the crisis emerges.
The Wellness Empowered (WE) app launches on Friday. It will utilize biometrics already in existence from our smartwatches and other devices to build a baseline profile of a person.
“When I almost took my life away. I wasn’t sleeping, and I probably slept, you know, four hours, five hours tops in a day. Like it was, I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t fall asleep and then stay asleep,” he said. All this data is tracked in his smart ring. He says that data through he app will now be used alert his peer support team of his choosing and therapist that something is off and stress could be building. “It’s a touch point. It’s just a way for us to get in and ask a question. ‘Hey, how are you feeling?’ ‘How are you doing?’ Stuff like that, so it’s just a way to be able to make a question, ask a questions,” he said.
The app is for profit and costs $12.99 per year or $15.99 per month.
Santana continues his mission through his app and nonprofit to reach veterans. He will host a fundraiser, Art with Purpose, on Friday, May 30, from 6:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. at The Brick at Blue Star. Tickets are $20 pre-sale and $25 at the door.
