This past year, Travis Manion Foundation’s CEO Ryan Manion stepped far outside of her comfort zone—into the woods, into silence, and into something that would leave a lasting mark.
She took on The Hard Way—a 72-hour, off-the-grid experience led by retired Marine Brian “Tosh” Chontosh. No technology. No tent. Just maps, a few essential tools, and the discomfort that strips away distraction and reveals clarity.
“I really wanted to make the event long enough so that it starts to break down and we get a much more natural exchange,” Tosh tells us. “We meet who we really are and not the curated version.”
Ryan and Tosh have known each other for years. As a longtime supporter of TMF, Tosh leads annual programming for veterans in the Spartan Leadership Program—pushing them to discover new levels of resilience, purpose, and leadership. His unique ability to hold space for discomfort and growth made him the ideal person to guide Ryan on this personal challenge.
Brian “Tosh” Chontosh is a retired Marine who served as both an enlisted and commissioned infantryman. A decorated combat veteran recognized for valor and dynamic leadership, Tosh is also a relentless student of personal growth. Through endurance challenges and reflective work, he continually re-negotiates the question: “Who am I?”
At Crooked Butterfly Ranch, Tosh builds immersive personal development experiences—like The Hard Way Project, a monthly subscription designed to stretch individuals far beyond their daily routine and into something deeper.
“I think everybody needs the chance to step outside of their comfort zone whether it’s physically or emotionally and through this — I got to do both,” said Ryan. “We don’t grow as people unless we challenge ourselves to continually do that.”
Grief doesn’t disappear. It changes form. And for Ryan, those two days in the woods—navigating by map, carrying her own gear, and leaning into the unknown—became a powerful way to honor the past while embracing the present.
Because “If Not Me, Then Who…” isn’t just a call to serve—it’s a call to live fully, lead boldly, and sometimes, choose the hard way.
Watch the video recap of Ryan’s journey into the wild and within herself.
