Welcome to Fighters for Hope
Fighters for Hope Mission:
Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention Coalition
- Fighters for Hope (FFH) has a focused mission to increase awareness about mental health issues and remove the stigma about having meaningful conversations about suicide ideation and prevention. Through our two layers of message delivery, we provide first-hand deliverables to audiences at venues across the nation with heart-felt passion and intentional professionalism.
- We partner with local behavioral health providers to ensure sustainable results. FFH also strives to provide constant care through our coalition group and a digital app, creating 24/7 access to immediate local help.
- Veterans, first responders, at-risk youth, and vulnerable members of Indigenous groups are underserved and deserve the opportunity to change their narrative. Instead of losing so many to mental health issues or suicide, we must act!
Fighters for hope silent auction
Items include an Unopened 1995 Indy Pace Car Corvette Replica, 22 Salute Gift Basket from our Board President Eric Ranks, Framed Photos, Signed Jerseys, Mike Tyson signed Boxing Gloves, Virtual Wine Tasting, Comedy Show, and Cooking Class, Acupuncture Treatments from one of our board members, Dr. Janet Vigil, a Legacy Journal Package from Natalie McQueen, Multiple Vacation Packages, VIP Golf Packages into our January 10th, 2025 tournament in Gilbert, AZ, Multiple Masterminds from Michael Bernoff & FFH, and a 7-Day Adventure Cruise on Carnival Cruise Line. Bidding ends on October 12th, 2024 @ 9:00 PM. Head on over to our Silent Auction page to bid on over 40 items!
Introducing Our Founder
Buddy Thornton
Founder and Behavioral AdvisorPast Doctoral Cohort President at GCUMultiple International Best-Selling AuthorNoted Inspirational Keynote SpeakerProsocial Advocate for Change
I’m Buddy Thornton, the “Positive Social Change Agent Pro,” inspirational speaker, ongoing international best-selling author, mentor, and prosocial advocate for change through education and crushing barriers in behavioral health. As a parent coach, I have influenced the lives of countless people, primarily in the family space. It stands to reason that parenting would be a significant influencer for me since I am already a great-grandfather. My fifty-year marriage to my best friend and wife is my most significant source of gratitude.
I am a Vietnam-era Hospital Corpsman (US Navy 1972-1976). I earned my BS in Allied Health Sciences from UW-Milwaukee (1984), certifications in Mediation and Paralegal Studies from Lakewood College (2012), a certificate in Life Coaching from UDEMY (2014-recertification-2019), and my MA in Human Services Counseling and Executive Leadership from Liberty University (2014).
I was honored to be past president of the Doctoral Learners Cohort at GCU (2017-2018), where I completed my doctoral journey (2020). In my past, I was a PBA member from 1984 to 2011 and the owner of two successful supply chain companies from 2003 to 2014. I currently own BCT Mediations PLUS (2011-present), and I am a co-owner and course creator for Life and Legacy Academy. I founded Fighters for Hope, a coalition of 501c3 non-profits delivering events and answers in the Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention behavioral space across the US and Canada due to my extensive mentoring in the at-risk space. I am a consistent writer and podcast speaker, and my international best-selling series, The Slippery Slope, is the foundation for all of my passion for change.
Fighters for Hope is a legacy platform working with numerous non-profits to bring clarity to a significantly overlooked topic in today’s society: How to engage meaningfully with those suffering from mental health challenges and suicide ideation. Please join us in the fight!
Meet Our Board of Directors
Multiple international bestselling authorLA Tribune bestselling authorMotivational SpeakersAdvocate for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
I'm Eric Ranks, an internationally recognized bestselling author, LA Tribune Best Selling Author, entrepreneur, and motivational speaker known for my unique blend of inspiration and practical wisdom aimed at empowering individuals to Dream Bigger, Live Better™.
After spending many years in the nonprofit sector with multiple organizations, one of my proudest roles is as the Founder and Executive Director of The Veterans Connection. Founded in 2012, I'm deeply committed to making substantial contributions to the realm of veteran and first responder mental health and suicide prevention. This organization is close to my heart as I come from a military family, deeply influenced by my father's work as a Clinical and Neuropsychologist in the Air Force. Through personal experiences like battling leukemia and depression, I've gained a profound understanding of the importance of mental health support. I'm also the co-founder and CEO of 22 Salute Spirits & Coffee, a social enterprise dedicated to supporting veterans and first responders. Our products symbolize our commitment to quality and giving back. By raising awareness and contributing a portion of our profits to mental health and suicide prevention programs, we aim to make a positive impact on the lives of veterans and first responders. We are also the first spirits and coffee brand to add the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline on our products in hopes of helping someone know where to find help in their darkest moments.
These experiences and my unwavering desire to serve have led me to offer steadfast support to those who have selflessly served our nation. I'm also co-author of the influential book Boundless Success with Eric Ranks and a valued contributor to multiple The Art Of Connection Books, as well as Legacy Builders: Leaders of Global Impact. My upbringing, personal experiences, and dedication to improving the well-being of veterans and first responders have shaped my career journey. The work I do through The Veterans Connection and 22 Salute Spirits & Coffee is driven by a deep passion to support those who have served our nation selflessly.
John Verrico
(Founder Share Your Fire, LLC)
Affiliate and Sponsor Director
I’m John Verrico and my life's mission was shaped by bullies. Or, I should say, what I learned from bullies. As an undersized youth, I felt “less than” others and that I did not matter. Trying to see where I fit in, I dabbled in different occupations, ultimately finding my niche as a Navy Journalist and public affairs professional in government for more than four decades. Observing shipmates, coworkers, and bosses, I learned how their actions and interactions motivated people and made them feel valued, or belittled people and drove them to despair.
As founder of Share Your Fire, international speaker and coach, I share these lessons to help people emulate positive behaviors, ignite their inner motivational fire, and share the light of their TORCH (Trust, Opportunity, Respect, Communication and Humanity) with those around them.
I have lost friends, family and coworkers to depression and suicide, and have been on the brink of despair myself. My passion is to ensure that no one should be made to feel alone and unvalued. My mission - bring light to those in darkness.
Robert Thornton
(I.T. Deployment Life and Legacy Academy)
Information Technology and Analytics Director
I’m Robert Thornton, the Information Technology Director here at Fighters for Hope, with multiple courses in CompTIA Network Administration at Kaplan College from May 2002 to August 2002 and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Programming at Grand Canyon University from March 2018 to June 2019. Although I did not finish either program, I have real-world experience from March 2003 to March 2009 as the network administrator for Best Courier Team, LLC, and IT Manager/Web Designer for Courier Logistics Specialists, LLC from March 2009 to August 2014.
Living a life with cyclical depression is my inspiration for engaging in the behavioral care space. Without significant and meaningful support systems in place, I know I would end up in a very dark place, and I am eternally blessed to be working with a team of passionate experts who live to save others.
Developing an awareness of the stigmas and conversations for mental health is crucial when it comes to seeking or providing help. Appropriate support and being vulnerable make a difference! Being a survivor of a failed suicide attempt in 2016 prompted by the depression that I have dealt with since I was thirteen makes the fight against the stigmas of mental health number one!
Robert W. Jones
(Founder & Chairperson iNETrepreneur Network)
Business Development Director
Robert W. Jones is a Multi-Time Bestselling Author, Radio Show Host, Publisher, and Owner / Founder of the iNETrepreneur Network, Art of Connection 365, and Network Together. Robert served in the USMC, was a Youth Minister, and is a Recovering Coder and Programmer of several well-known brands. His goal is to provide a space where entrepreneurs and business owners can have a safe place to go, so they can grow. In today’s world, business professionals must earn, learn, AND learn how to earn to create a competitive advantage for their success.
Through his non-profit affiliations, most recently with BizELIFE and Petsmart, Robert has personally raised over 1 million dollars for not-for-profits, including United Way, Helen's Hope Chest, Jose's Closet, Saint Mary's Food Bank, and Make-a-Wish Foundation. His attention now focuses on raising awareness for youth and military organizations that provide inspiration, hope, and support for families of those suffering from mental health issues. Being on the Board of Fighters for Hope gives Robert the opportunity to complete his chosen mission of dismantling mental health challenges from the inside. With his successful body of work, Robert brings exceptional professionalism to this fight!
Isaiah Drone III
(Founder Brokenness to Healing Foundation)
Dallas-Fort Worth Ambassador
Isaiah Drone III, also known as ID3, is an educator, poet, and speaker through education and prosocial advocacy in America. He is locally esteemed in Dallas, Texas, amongst his community, nationally, and by world-renowned leaders. ID3 is a trusted voice linked to inspiration and resilience through his ongoing podcast “The Impact of Educational Leadership.” Isaiah has worked with a diverse array of world leaders, educators, and groups, from Bishop T. D. Jakes, General William Ward, Tito Puente Jr., and NEA Dallas.
Isaiah founded the Brokenness to Healing Foundation and the 100 and Beyond Schools Program, a mentoring platform that has uplifted at-risk youth in his District since 2018, currently showing a better-than-80 percent success rate. Isaiah Drone III is a charismatic voice that must be heard. He is a prosocial warrior who prides himself in positive performance outcomes for the socio-economically disadvantaged through positive youth development.
In his role as the Dallas-Fort Worth Ambassador for Fighters for Hope, Isaiah will bring our programs to schools and community events across Northeast Texas and beyond. His passion and drive to succeed for the oppressed among us make Isaiah a power on our team. His addition will expand our reach and make a difference. Welcome to the team, sir!
Isaiah founded the Brokenness to Healing Foundation and the 100 and Beyond Schools Program, a mentoring platform that has uplifted at-risk youth in his District since 2018, currently showing a better-than-80 percent success rate. Isaiah Drone III is a charismatic voice that must be heard. He is a prosocial warrior who prides himself in positive performance outcomes for the socio-economically disadvantaged through positive youth development.
In his role as the Dallas-Fort Worth Ambassador for Fighters for Hope, Isaiah will bring our programs to schools and community events across Northeast Texas and beyond. His passion and drive to succeed for the oppressed among us make Isaiah a power on our team. His addition will expand our reach and make a difference. Welcome to the team, sir!
Lindsey Scholta
(Co-Founder Life and Legacy Academy)
Education and LMS Director
My name is Lindsey Scholta. I have worked in the education world for 16 years. I started my passion for teaching and learning back in 2008 when I taught high school mathematics to an underserved population who struggled with the topics.
From there, I’ve educated students in many different settings, from project-based and alternative schools to traditional schools and, finally, colleges and universities. I graduated with a B.S. in 2008 and an M.S.E. in 2013. I left the K-12 world in 2015 and moved into higher education, where I developed the skills to design courses for all students across different universities.
At some institutions, I was able to be more creative since our teams were much smaller, causing me to have to take on a more holistic design role. I was able to create different interactive learning environments for distance learning and bring learning into people’s lives through my passionate approach. Having the ability to better someone's life brings me great joy. I feel passionate about suicide prevention, having lost friends to suicide. I want to make sure that everyone out there knows there is another way to get the help they need and that their lives are valuable.
Leann Coakley
(Wealth Manager)
Phoenix Ambassador
Leann Coakley is a Wealth Manager who has spent more than a decade working in the hospice field. As an experienced health advocate, Leann brings a broad range of skills to the Fighters for Hope Coalition. She is an end-of-life care consultant, health education expert, medical industry leader, international best-selling author, wealth and risk manager, and so much more. Leann can keynote on a range of health-related topics and has authored educational resources for hospice and home health; in short, she has the chops to stand in and fight this fight with our team. As the Phoenix Ambassador, Leann will facilitate and uplift events targeting at-risk groups who face mental health challenges and the potential for suicide ideation on a daily basis. Leann is committed to attracting sponsors and advocates to support Fighters for Hope and be a prosocial agent, a role she has embraced in most of her adult career choices.
Leann believes mental health starts with self-care and includes a cascade of markers, such as financial well-being, a healthy support system, and a life-long journey of education. “If I can make a difference, then I should make a difference.” Welcome to the team, Leann.
To see all of our board click here!
Complimentary Training from LALA and FFH!
Seven Steps to Functional Morality
The Seven Steps to Functional Morality template was designed to guide people through moral decision making and give them permission to empower their world view. Each step is an individual choice. People who base their decisions on functional morality realize optimal results.