When Geoff Livingston approached Steve Vanderhoek with the concept of a film about what pushes him to ride at the edge while balancing a real world career as a City of North Vancouver Fire Fighter, and what it's like for his wife Kelsey to capture it from behind the camera, neither of them could have known how much deeper the story would become.
As Steve began therapy, he started turning the camera on parts of his life none of us had seen before. Years of frontline trauma as a firefighter. The weight he'd been carrying quietly. What actually happens when you finally put it down. And once Steve opened up, it didn't stop with him. One by one, people started telling the truth about what they'd been through. His close friends and colleagues Matt Saely, Jeff Mccutcheon, Alan Easton, Mike Danks, Sam Van Born, fellow professional mountain biker and team mate Yoann Barelli, Dr. Duncan Shields, as well as Steve's father, who decided it was time to share with the world all of the trama he has kept burried for the last 60 years.
We didn't set out to make a film about mental health. We ended up making one anyway, because we realized that we had something that would mean so much more and impact many people dealing with similar challenges around the global, rather than just another mountain bike film.
To everyone who trusted us with their story, who showed up to ride, who sat in front of a camera and said the hard thing out loud: thank you. This film exists because you were brave enough to be honest, and we are so proud of what we built together.
This isn't the end of it. It's the start of the Ride to Resilience Association, community rides, events, and ongoing stories built to help people find their way through the hardest moments, the way Steve found his.
We made this hoping it helps someone see they're not alone. If it saves even one life, or helps one person get through their worst day, it was worth everything that went into it.
Whose back do you have?
Director, Filmmaker, Producer
Filmmaker, photographer, and storyteller with a deep love for the outdoors and a passion for meaningful narratives. Over 20 years of experience directing, filming, and editing.
Producer
A full-time firefighter for the City of North Vancouver for over 13 years, Steve Vanderhoek is also a professional freeride mountain biker known for building and riding some of the scariest, most iconic lines in the Sea-to-Sky region.
Cinematographer
Filmmaker and photographer based in North Vancouver. Her film 'Ready or Not,' featuring Steve Vanderhoek, Wade Simmons, and Brett Tippie, won the 2023 Crankworx Dirt Diaries competition. Has worked with Red Bull and Anthill Films.
Sound Design
Sound Supervisor at Anthill Films' audio division, Anthill Sounds. Has delivered sound for the biggest mountain bike films over the past decade and built one of the industry's most comprehensive cycling-specific sound libraries.
Color
Freelance colorist based in the Chicago area with 20+ years of experience across commercials and long- and short-form projects.
“It's not worth to suffer in silence to look like you're a strong person. I think the strength comes from being able to talk about your biggest fears, the worst things that have happened to you.”
“Instead of thinking about who has your back, try and think about whose back do you have? I feel like if we can all start thinking like that, that's how we ride to resilience and that's how we can change our community.”
“To be able to take off the armour with each other and check in on each other, to actually give each other your quality attention, because when you take a knee and say 'I'm struggling,' I'm pretty sure you're going to give permission to somebody else in that room to do the same.”
“Hopefully, as leaders in these organizations, we can really set the tone that it's okay to be vulnerable. It's gone away from that stoic, keep-it-to-yourself mentality to, 'hey, how can I help you?'”
“I think we really need to be there for one another. And just because someone's off doesn't mean they're gone. Maintain that contact with one another. Because otherwise you feel super isolated.”
“Rather than trying to compartmentalize where you kind of get log-jammed with emotions, if you can kick it free every once in a while, I think that is incredibly helpful. Because we have these conversations now, people recognize more, they are more hyper-aware, and it's okay.”
“Biking makes my life balanced and makes me a happy, healthy person. But my main focus now is my family, my wife, and my kids — establishing my life around them and being present.”
“Sometimes you just have to go out and find your Steve, so to say. Find that person that's going to push you, and that you can also help push as well. It's not just a give, give, give, it's a give and take.”