Pasadena Firefighter Leads the Fight for First Responder Mental Health

[Updated]    When fighters step into the ring at the Rose Bowl on October 9, Scott Henderson won’t be among them. As the event’s founder and promoter, he’ll be fighting a different battle — for the firefighters who answer the calls nobody else will, and then go home carrying what they saw.

Henderson, a Pasadena firefighter paramedic with 20 years on the job, founded the Battle for Mental Health in 2019 after recognizing that the stigma around mental illness was costing first responders their well-being and, in some cases, their lives. 

The annual charity boxing exhibition, which raises funds for the national nonprofit Next Rung, returns this fall to the Rose Bowl, where first responders from other agencies step into the ring to raise funds. Henderson fought in the inaugural 2019 event but no longer competes; today he and his wife, Jennifer Henderson, promote the event as its co-founders. Jennifer Henderson, a physician assistant in cardiology at Loma Linda who spent years as a paramedic and began her career in firefighting, has led much of the event’s fundraising and sponsor outreach since its start.

The event has grown since its debut in Centennial Square at Pasadena City Hall, where it raised more than $31,000, according to event organizers. It now draws participants and supporters from fire and police agencies across the region.

Next Rung, the Georgia-based nonprofit that receives the proceeds, provides peer support, counseling scholarships, and treatment referrals for firefighters and first responders nationwide. The organization operates a help line where first responders can text the word “SUPPORT” to 833-698-7864 to be connected with a trained peer — another firefighter or paramedic who understands the weight of the job.

Henderson has spoken openly about the mental toll of his career. 

In a 2023 interview, he described the event’s purpose plainly: the goal, he said, is to bring first responders together to raise awareness about suicide and mental health.

The cause has found support at the highest levels of Pasadena’s city government. In a social media video, the City of Pasadena shared footage of Councilmember Tyron Hampton and Fire Chief Chad Augustin visiting Brick City Boxing, a Pasadena gym on North Lake Avenue founded by retired professional heavyweight boxer Joe Hanks. The two city leaders learned boxing basics from Hanks as part of what the city described as a focus on health and wellness among its employees and leaders.

The city’s post noted that the visit was part of a broader wellness effort.

Hanks, who compiled a 23-3 professional boxing record during his heavyweight career, opened Brick City Boxing at 250 North Lake Avenue. The gym’s name pays homage to his hometown of Newark, New Jersey, where he grew up training. Hanks built the gym with a focus on boxing-inspired fitness for all ages, including youth classes.

The connection between the city’s wellness push and the Battle for Mental Health reflects a growing recognition in Pasadena that the people who respond to emergencies need support of their own. Chief Augustin led the Pasadena Fire Department through the Eaton Fire in January 2025, when the department’s personnel worked around the clock to protect the city.

Charlie Brown, captain paramedic with the Glendale Fire Department who serves as co-director and COO of Next Rung, has described the organization’s growth as remarkable. Starting with two people answering phone calls, he said in 2023, the organization has expanded to a peer support team that spans the country and has helped hundreds of first responders.

Tickets for the October 9 event at the Rose Bowl are available through Zeffy, according to the Next Rung website, with general admission at $50, ringside seating at $80, and VIP at $100. All proceeds go to Next Rung. More information is available at NextRung.org.