Men’s Mental Health: We See You

For 2024-2025, one focus area is eliminating the stigma that prevents men from seeking help; to change the myth that men should just “muscle through” mental health concerns. Did you know that when you invest in MHA, you could help someone realize that asking for help shows courage not weakness?

Matt Skura, NFL Veteran and MHA Storyteller volunteer (pictured above L with his father, Doug) is using his platform to advocate for mental health – particularly for men. Matt says, “My mental health journey has been deeply shaped by two significant experiences: my career as an athlete and in my personal life. As a football player at Duke and later in the NFL, I worked with a therapist, learning mental strategies that help me excel on the field and, more importantly, in life.”

Tragically, Matt lost his dad to suicide in March 2022 after a fall and a concussion which sidelined his career as an orthopedic surgeon. Matt says, “The loss of my father transformed my understanding of mental health beyond performance. It brought home the importance of recognizing warning signs, knowing the available resources, and processing grief. One of the first calls I made after my dad passed was to my therapist. That relationship and the mental techniques I used in football helped me embrace the emotions of grief, rather than internalizing them.”

Of his father, Dr. Douglas Stephen Skura, Matt says, “He was incredibly proud of my brothers and me. Despite his busy career, he was always present and supported our dreams. I cherish those memories, especially the ones we created during my football career.”

Matt and his wife Emma call Charlotte home, along with their four young children. Matt reached out to MHA to become a volunteer this summer and was a guest on MHA’s digital talk show “Strong Place” in September, honoring his dad’s life during suicide prevention month.

Read more Men’s Mental Health facts and how MHA helps and MAKE A YEAR END DONATION NOW!

Matt’s take-away, “You never know how a single word or conversation could save someone’s life. The power we have to lift someone out of the darkness is inside every one of us.”