Editor’s Note: This story discusses suicide and sexual assault. The following is an extended version of the story that appears in our latest print edition. 

In a historic mental and physical challenge, after training for around one year in efforts to raise awareness about positive mental health and suicide prevention, mental health advocate Alex Moreno, an Allerton resident, pulled a car for a little over two miles along The Bronx’s Pelham Parkway South from White Plains Road to Eastchester Road on Sunday, Sept. 14.

 

The aim of the advertised 20-block pull was to show mental [and physical] resilience, and to encourage people to let go of the mental weight they carry around each day. Dressed in tracksuit bottoms, running shoes, a t-shirt, baseball cap, and with a white towel around his neck, Moreno occasionally detached the harness that was clipped around his chest to lie on the street, hydrate, take rests, and wipe away the beads of sweat that were pouring down his face on a day when temperatures reached around 81 degrees.

 

Along the route, his supporters cheered him on with shouts of “Alex! Alex! You got it! You got it! You got it! Let’s go! Great job!” At one point, he had a change of running shoes expressly delivered to him by car and placed on his feet such was the level of discomfort and exhaustion he endured at certain points.

 

His team of supporters included his girlfriend, Christina Roman, his sister, Victoria, his former social worker, Lani Krasniqi, along with friends and an officer from the 49th Precinct who he later said had accompanied him and supported him on his mental health journey since they first met at Morris Park’s Jacobi Hospital where Moreno had been admitted at one point.

 

We spoke to Victoria along the route who said, “Yeah, that’s my brother. I’m very proud of him and what he’s doing for mental awareness, for mental illness and suicide [prevention]. Yeah, I’m proud of him.” Asked if Moreno had trained a lot before the pull, Victoria said he had and in all kinds of weather.

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE Alex Moreno drags a car along Pelham Parkway for two miles to Eastchester Road in The Bronx on Sunday, Sept 14, 2025, surrounded by his loyal supporters, his sister, his former social worker, and his girlfriend, Christina Roman, who remained close to him every step of the way, all in order to raise awareness about maintaining positive mental health and to encourage people to push through even when they feel like there’s a huge weight on their backs. Video by Norwood News

A childhood friend of Moreno called Fred said, “That’s been a passion of his for a while because you know when he was younger, he was… he had some interactions with it [mental health issues], not anything serious and then he grew out of it, and he’s had a productive life since and it feels like that can help others as well.”

 

For her part, Krasniqi seemed overwhelmed with emotion. “Don’t make me cry!,” she said. “I was his social worker when he was younger so I knew them since they were young and this is the first time I’ve seen him in a very long time, so it was very emotional.” She added, “He should be very proud of himself. He had [inaudible / a good support system?] in the family, and he’s come a long way through his struggles and I was telling her when I came that Alex used to say, ‘No! no!’ and now he says, ‘I can do amazing things and so can you!’ And I love that! That’s amazing!”

 

Moreno later explained how he had survived time in foster care, sexual assault, and a suicide attempt four years ago when he was admitted to Jacobi Medical Center in Morris Park, the end point of the car pull. Squad vehicles from the 49th Precinct accompanied the group of about 20 all along the route.

Along the way, there were calls of, “Break the silence! Break the stigma! Let’s go!” The energetic group also carried signs and balloons and were met with awe, surprise, wonder, and curiosity by several members of the public, including some aboard various passing MTA buses who were seen looking out the windows to take in the scene. In response, Moreno’s supporters cheered loudly and raised their placards, some displaying the words, “Take Care of Your Mental Health!” “You can do it!” and “Your mind matters!”

 

We also spoke to 11-year-old Max Scott who was accompanied by his family on the day to get his opinion on the grueling challenge. “I think it’s a good way to express or convey mental health awareness,” Max said. Asked if he also went through tough times, perhaps at school, he said, “Yeah,” and agreed that it was a good thing when people talked stuff out.

 

The group played salsa music on speakers and other inspiring and uplifting music along the route. Meanwhile, Moreno danced, smiled, collapsed, stumbled, staggered, crawled on his hands and feet, rose to his feet again, repeated, pulled, dragged, gave a thumbs up, swayed back and forth on the harness, stopped for breaks, sat inside the passenger seat of the car once for a break, and at other times, laid flat on the street facing up and had wet towels placed on his forehead by his girlfriend and others.

 

Johnny Valle, a neighbor of Moreno said, “I’m very proud of him, his strength and making a point, the training, bringing awareness to men’s mental health, because not much light is shed upon it and for him to step [up] to the plate, and for him to use his strength on winning this battle is amazing. It just goes to show that even without a voice, actions prove more powerful.”

 

At other times along the route, Moreno faced downward and allowed his supporters to stretch and pull his legs to relieve cramping. Other friends walked alongside him giving him pep talks as a documentary filmmaker filmed the scenes every step of the way, which was about three-quarters uphill.

 

Once Moreno reached the highest point along the elevated parkway, as police stopped passing traffic at the junction, his supporters burst into huge applause and he then picked up the pace and seemed to complete the last 10 or so blocks with relative ease, before collapsing at Eastchester Road traffic lights in his girlfriend’s arms and wept as they embraced for several minutes. The group then moved to a nearby bus-stop.

 

Later, we asked Moreno what the hardest part had been. “The hills I had to go through,” he said. “I had to keep taking a break and I had to keep reminding myself this is not a race. I am the only person who has ever done this.”

 

Later, the police officer from the 49th Precinct who Moreno had met at Jacobi when hospitalized said in part, “I see the work you’re doing. Just keep doing it. Little by little, you keep on bringing more and more awareness so keep doing what you’re doing, bro. I’m proud of you.”

In response, Moreno said in part, “Honestly, if it wasn’t for you..” The local NYPD Community Affairs unit and commanding officer, Captain Julieann Stapleton, was also recognized by Moreno before he was asked if he needed EMS or any medical assistance. His friends joked that he didn’t need a stretcher after dragging a whole car for over 2 miles and that he would have no problem just walking into the hospital if needed after his accomplishment as it was right behind him.

 

Asked what he felt the City and those running for mayor should do to help people with mental health challenges, Moreno said he wasn’t political but he felt that the suicide hotline should be better staffed. He said he had been waiting for about 30 minutes to speak to someone at one point when he called.

 

Later seated upright, Moreno reflected on his accomplishment, saying in part, “This was not a test of strength. This was a test of resilience, mental resilience, proving that you can do anything as long as you put your mind to it. You can overcome any obstacle, any battle that you are battling with silently.”

He continued, “I know it’s hard to speak about what’s truly going on inside of your body, inside of your mind. I know that’s very hard but if you just continue to just keep fighting until the next day, eventually you won’t have to fight anymore and those battles will be gone. Storms don’t last forever. Storms don’t last forever. Eventually, you have to see the sun. I pulled a car on my back for 2.14 miles in 2 hours and 26 minutes to raise awareness for mental health. Thank you.”

 

Check out our 12-minute video of the event on our YouTube channel (link above).

 

For anyone who may be feeling depressed, help is available. Call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline on 988. Text, call or chat 24/7.