UNOH Student Drives the Conversation Around Mental Health
Posted on Friday, June 26, 2026
UNOH Student Braxton Lee (far right), with his family and the 215 Racing with Resilience Car
Written by Contributing Columnist Kyler Washam, UNOH Director of Career Services
The roar of a race engine has always represented speed, competition, and the relentless pursuit of victory. For the Lee family, it has become something even greater.
Today, every lap carries a message of hope. Every race is an opportunity to start a conversation that could save a life. For Braxton Lee, a University of Northwestern Ohio student preparing to graduate this August with an Associate of Applied Science in High Performance Motorsports, racing has become more than a career path. It has become a platform for purpose.
Alongside his parents, Brent and Kayla Lee, Braxton has helped build Racing for Resilience, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of mental health struggles, suicide prevention, and the isolation that too many people silently endure.
Their mission is simple, yet profoundly powerful: Use the world of motorsports to remind people that they are never racing alone.
Motorsports has long been woven into the fabric of the Lee family. Weekends at the track weren't simply about horsepower and trophies, they were about community. They were about friendships built in the pits, families cheering from the grandstands, and countless people coming together around a shared passion.
But Brent and Kayla Lee recognized something else. Behind the helmets, behind the smiles, and behind the excitement of race day were people carrying burdens no one could see. Like communities across the country, the racing world is not immune to depression, anxiety, loneliness, or suicide. Yet conversations surrounding mental health often remain difficult to begin. Instead of asking why those conversations weren't happening, the Lee family asked a different question: What if the race car could become the conversation starter?
That question became Racing for Resilience. "Our family believes no one should have to face life's hardest moments alone," Kayla Lee shared. "We wanted to combine our passion for racing with a mission to save lives."
One of the first things people notice on the Racing for Resilience race car is the number 215. At first glance, it looks like any other race number. Its meaning runs much deeper. Originally, 215 represented Braxton's birthday, a meaningful family number long before the nonprofit existed. Today, it carries a message that has become the heart of Racing for Resilience. 2 Choices. 1 Life. 5 Minutes.
The phrase reminds people that five minutes spent checking on a friend, listening without judgment, or simply asking, "How are you really doing?" can change, or even save, a life. It also serves as a reminder that no difficult season is permanent and that another choice always exists beyond a permanent decision. It's a message that has resonated with racers, fans, students, and families alike.
Braxton has been part of Racing for Resilience from the very beginning. While completing his education at UNOH's High Performance Motorsports program, he has helped shape the organization in countless ways. Whether preparing the race car, brainstorming new outreach ideas, representing the organization at events, or connecting with individuals who stop by the trailer, Braxton has become one of the organization's strongest ambassadors.
His technical education has allowed him to contribute to the racing side of the operation, but his greatest contribution may be helping bridge two worlds that rarely intersect, high-performance motorsports and mental health advocacy. It's proof that the skills developed at UNOH extend well beyond the shop floor. They can become vehicles for serving communities.
Mental health awareness often takes place in classrooms, hospitals, or conference rooms. Racing for Resilience chose a different venue. The racetrack. It's a place where conversations happen naturally. Where people stop to admire a race car, they ask questions, and they share stories. Before long, conversations shift from horsepower to hope.
The Lee family believes motorsports creates a unique opportunity to reach people who may never attend a mental health seminar but are willing to engage because of their love for racing. The parallels between racing and life are impossible to ignore. Drivers rely on spotters, pit crews, and their teammates. No one wins a race alone. When something breaks during a race, no driver ignores the problem and hopes it disappears. They pull into the pits, rely on their crew, make adjustments, and get back on the track.
Mental health deserves the same approach. Asking for help isn't quitting. It's trusting your team.
Although Racing for Resilience is still a young organization, its impact is already reaching far beyond the racetrack. Individuals have approached the Lee family at races, schools, community events, and educational presentations to share deeply personal stories. Some simply express gratitude for seeing mental health represented in a space where they never expected it. Others say a single conversation came at exactly the moment they needed it most. Those moments have reaffirmed why Racing for Resilience exists. Because sometimes hope begins with nothing more than someone taking five minutes to listen.
The future for Racing for Resilience is ambitious. The organization plans to expand educational presentations in schools, trade programs, and community organizations while increasing its presence at race tracks across the region. The Lee family also hopes to grow its REACT suicide prevention training program, strengthen partnerships with healthcare providers and community organizations, provide additional support resources for families, and continue honoring lives lost while bringing hope to those still fighting.
Their vision remains centered on three goals: Create more conversations, build stronger connections, and help more people choose to stay in their race.
For Braxton Lee, his UNOH education has become something larger than a profession. It has become a platform to make a difference. As he prepares to graduate, he isn't just entering the motorsports industry. He's helping lead a movement that reminds people they matter. That strength is found in asking for help, knowing that community can save lives and that every person deserves another lap. Because in racing, and in life, no one should have to cross the finish line alone.
About Racing for Resilience
Racing for Resilience is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting mental health awareness, suicide prevention, and community connection through the platform of motorsports. Racing for Resilience continues to expand its outreach through educational presentations, community events, race track appearances, and suicide prevention initiatives. The organization welcomes opportunities to partner with businesses, organizations, and individuals who share its commitment to promoting mental health awareness and preventing suicide.
Those interested in becoming a sponsor, making a donation, or learning more about the organization's mission are encouraged to reach out:
Email: racing4resilience@gmail.com
Every partnership helps Racing for Resilience continue its mission of creating conversations, building connections, and reminding people they never have to face life's race alone.
Category: Applied Technologies, Campus & Community
Keywords: Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, Motorsports
