“We’re All Carrying Something Heavy” — Sara Wilkinson on Loss, Healing, and the Chad 1000X

Sara Wilkinson lost her husband in 2018. Seven years later, she’s choosing to live big while still carrying what she’s lost.In today’s episode of Conversations with The Capones, Amber and Marcus sit down with Sara Wilkinson, Gold Star spouse and founder of the Step Up Foundation, for a deeply honest conversation about military life, grief, and the ongoing process of healing after loss. Raised in a military family and married to Navy SEAL Chad Wilkinson, Sara understands the unique pressures placed on service members and their families, from constant relocation to the realities of repeated deployments. After Chad’s suicide in 2018, she has become a thoughtful and respected voice in the veteran mental health space, sharing her experience with care while advocating for greater awareness and support.Sara reflects on the community built through CrossFit in Virginia Beach, the role that connection plays during and after service, and how grief evolves over time. She also shares the story behind Chad 1000X–a global fitness event inspired by Chad’s training–and how it has grown into a way for people around the world to honor loved ones and support veteran-focused organizations.The conversation also explores mental health and healing, including Sara’s personal experiences with therapy, journaling, and alternative approaches such as psilocybin and ibogaine. She highlights the quiet discipline of choosing to Live Big without pretending the hard parts don’t exist. This episode is for veterans, military families, and anyone navigating loss, identity, and rebuilding after life-changing events.Subscribe to Conversations with the Capones for new episodes every week.Learn more: https://thecapones.com/VETS: https://vetsolutions.org/Step Up Foundation: https://stepupfoundation.org/Chad 1000X: https://chad1000x.com/Disclaimers: VETS employees, staff, volunteers, and Ambassadors are not practitioners; all psychedelic-assisted therapy treatment takes place at vetted, third-party facilities that are monitored by medical professionals. VETS does not advocate for decriminalization or legalization of psychedelic modalities, but rather the monitored, clinical use of psychedelic-assisted therapy.