Shannon Stroup

Shannon was born in Long Island, NY and raised in the (then) sleepy beach town of Merritt Island, Florida. She grew up with a love for the space shuttle launches, small waves to surf, basketball, and has a strong patriot heart. As the granddaughter of a New York City Police detective, her determination to be of service was strong from the start, just like her hero grandpa’s. The events of 9/11 catapulted that determination, and after one semester of community college in 2006, she enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Security Forces airman.

Over the course of six years in service, Shannon would complete three tours to Iraq and Afghanistan. Most of her time was spent between detainee operations, flightline protection, and C-130 aircraft security. However, these experiences deeply impacted her, and she found it hard to shake some of what she had seen. In 2012, Shannon decided to leave the military but struggled to find herself after taking off her boots. In 2016, Shannon found herself in a dark place and took a leap of faith and found Warrior PATHH, which she now credits for truly saving her life. She’s now dedicated to doing anything she can to be of service to her brothers and sisters in the veteran community. In 2021, Shannon found her way back to the PATHH program as an alumnus and has continued to dedicate time towards connection and service.

Shannon now lives in Dade City, Florida with her wife Melanie, who is a nurse with a true understanding of the road to Post Traumatic Growth, and their beautiful baby girl Harlyn. In their off time, they love to road trip for concerts, spend time on the water or trail walking with their dogs Levi and Zen. Being outside in nature is incredibly important and therapeutic to their family. They also have a strong love for all things sports, but most importantly, Tampa Bay hockey!