A 15-year-old Yarrawonga boy's love of the army and his Vietnam veteran grandfather have inspired him to raise money and awareness for veteran's mental health.
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Jack McQualter-Whyte yesterday ran from Yarrawonga to Bundalong in full army kit.
The Sacred Heart Yarrawonga student raised over $4500 in the lead up to the 13-kilometre trek.
The young fundraiser said that the community support had been amazing.
"The community support has been the best thing, it wouldn't be like this if I didn't have the people helping me out," he said.
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Jack said he wanted to highlight all the kinds of things veterans go through when they're deployed and when they come home.
"One of the main things that I want to raise awareness for is that when people get deployed they miss out on family time, they miss out on special events like Christmas and Easter.
"When they come back they're family might not see them the same way."
Jack's mother Tamlin Osborne said it was overwhelming to see a previously timid and shy young man follow his passions.
"To be able to stand strong and not just have it as an idea, to be able to put that idea into action is amazing," she said.
"It makes us proud to think that we've raised such an honourable young man."
Ms Osborne said that Jack had always shown an interest in the army and that he one day hopes to join.
Ms Osborne said that the community had been behind Jack the whole way, with large donations and unexpected support coming from everywhere.
"The support has been enormous and the kindness surrounded by it, so many people are messaging him and there has been a lot of really unexpected support.
"He even had the local podiatrist donate some socks to him so he doesn't get blisters on his feet."
This won't be the last of Jack's fundraising efforts however, with Ms Osborne saying "he has the bug now".
"For as long as the army is exposed to the things that they're exposed to, he doesn't want to stop raising awareness."
