BOZEMAN — When you think of Montana you think of our picturesque mountains, vast fields far away from the ocean. Kevin Shuman, a PhD student at Montana State did something unique for our landlocked state.
“It's less about seeing what's down there, because you sort of know what's down there, but more of exploring something that people were not meant to explore,” said Shuman.
When Shuman moved to Montana he wanted to connect with the outdoors but not in the traditional Montana way.
“I came from out of state, and I was like, man I need a hobby and I looked into, you know, climbing, skiing and all those sorts of things,” he said.
He chose scuba diving. You may be wondering: in a landlocked state, where do you start?
“Scuba diving up at Hyalite, the reservoir, Canyon Ferry. I've also dove around some of the lakes around Glacier National Park,” said Shuman.
The million-dollar question: what's it like being in the water in Montana?
“A lot of rocks, a lot of mud,” Shuman said.
Scuba diving led him to fundraise for SameYou, a charity aimed at helping survivors of stroke and brain injuries recover.
“You know on the drive back from Canyon Ferry, where we were diving I remembered, ‘Oh, SameYou exists and maybe this is something I can do',” Shuman said.
That inspired him to scuba dive in Monterey Bay for SameYou.
“It's just incredible; there is something about it more vertical, that there is a canopy,” said Shuman.
Hoping to raise awareness for an issue like stroke and brain injury survivors as they navigate recovery.
“By creating this fundraiser I want people to recognize that there is a problem. Most people just keep to themselves,” Shuman said.
Shuman says he wants to start a conversation and create support.
“People feel abandoned, lonely, and unsupported after having a brain injury,” he said.
If you are interested in donating to the fundraiser you can find out more here: https://justgiving.com/fundraising/kevin-shuman
