The truck-pull took place in front of students from Years 5 and 6 at Middle Ridge State School, Toowoomba. “Regardless of the audience, it is always a challenge to make sure I can actually make these objects move,” he said.As one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming Unleash the Beast Writing and Wellbeing Symposium with Peter FitzSimons and Allan Sparkes, Commander Edwards prepares to share the impact of policing, how he dealt with PTSD, and how he finds being a strong man physically doesn’t always mean being a strong man mentally.

“It was probably the greatest wake-up in my life when I realised I actually wasn’t mentally strong. You may be able to move a 7.5 tonne truck for Lifeline Darling Downs and South West Qld, but you can be exceptionally weak mentally. It is not a bad thing, and it is certainly not something to be embarrassed about, but rather you get stronger by talking about it and dealing with it,” he said.

Commander Edwards, who has just returned from secondment to New York, where he was asked to pull a truck for the New York Police Department, also addressed the students on bullying, internet safety and mental health.

For further information visit www.unleashthebeast.net.au