Heroes Unleashed hosts third annual Cross Canada Challenge for a good cause

An Alberta man who struggled with mental health and addiction issues is cycling across Canada to raise funds for a good cause.

Matt Devine, who is the co-founder of Heroes Unleashed, is riding to raise funds and awareness for children who have been sexually abused.

"You can be physically fit and still very unhappy and that's my story. I was a very fit person at 40 years of age, suffering with mental health and that’s when I found purpose in helping children,” he explained.

His wife Nicole, who is also a co-founder of the company, is joining him on this journey.

“It started off as two people on a sofa in February of 2022, deciding to [do] seven marathons in seven days and in three months, we executed and raised a lot of money for children’s charity and then Matt decided that we needed to do something bigger and I’m along for the ride,” she said.

This is the third year the pair is hosting this challenge.

(Angela Stewart / CTV News)Along the way, they are making 13 pit stops to host fitness related events, with Regina having been one of those stops.

On Saturday, the pair and fitness trainer Marjorie Elliot, of the Boiler Room Gym, hosted adults at the gym and challenged them to a circuit style workout.

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"This means so much to be able to work with this kind of organization that is getting the word out about mental health, physical health and how that’s rooted from our basic roots, so as children. Any kind of trauma that we have experienced, whether that's as a child or further in life. If you don't address the hurt, you become a hurt or broken adult. That's not what we want for our society, for our future,” she said.

So far, Heroes Unleashed has raised $200,000 dollars towards children’s charities.

They hope to raise over $250,000 come the end of the challenge.