May 5, 2023
This episode of the MAPS podcast takes us through the deeply moving and inspirational story of Justin Lapree, a veteran who nearly lost everything and then came through the otherside to help lead the charge on providing sacred medicinal care to our veterans and first responders. No single population has moved the needle in helping the world to understand how psychedelics can be used effective than our veterans. Justin's story will move you in ways that are both inspirational and frustrating when you learn how under served the veteran population really is.
Justin Lapree served in the Marine Corps from 2001 to 2005. His second deployment to Iraq in 2004 left him at the bottom of a dark abyss upon his return home, and the Middle East took something from him, that he wouldn’t come to understand for years to come.
During his five years as an Austin Firefighter, he would witness a magnitude of traumatic events where lives were lost; mass shootings, the Austin serial bomber, consistent overdoses, and fatality collisions. While he had come so far since his failed suicide attempt in 2018, he noticed the darkness once more creeping in because of his job environment. In February 2022, he resigned from the Fire Department knowing he'd found a higher purpose and wanted to serve in another way. Thus, Heroic Path to Light was born. His vision was to create a non-profit that served the Veteran, First Responder and Gold/White star communities in hopes that their suffering could end by building community and utilizing sacred entheogenic ceremonies.
"As the Founder and President of Heroic Path to Light, I'm still on my journey, but want to meet you where you are, because I have seen firsthand that healing happens in community and together, we can get through anything."