Veteran Finishes 5-Month Paddle Board Journey in NY

U.S. Army veteran Josh Collins and 9/11 Memorial Museum staff member Heidi Hayden grasp a folded American flag beside the Survivor Tree on Memorial plaza.
US Army combat veteran Josh Collins and 9/11 Memorial Museum staff member Heidi Hayden. Photo by Jin Lee.

Earlier this year, Army combat veteran Josh Collins embarked on an epic paddleboard journey from Texas to New York. His mission: to raise awareness for special operations soldiers suffering from brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Departing the shores of Corpus Christi, Josh spent 140 days at sea and traveled over 2,600 nautical miles. He arrived at the Statue of Liberty in the afternoon of July 23, 2016 and was greeted by members of the U.S. Coast Guard and FDNY. 

On Sunday, following his arrival, Collins and 20 special operations members were invited to tour the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. He was greeted by 9/11 Memorial Museum staff and presented with a flag that was flown over the WTC in honor of his voyage.

By 9/11 Memorial Staff 

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