Out Of The Darkness

October 14th was a busy day with two appearances (followed by dance team at Wagner). First was the AFSP Out Of The Darkness Community Walk. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide. This walk, which was held in Clove Lakes Park, benefited AFSP.

I was invited to the walk by a family friend, Sara. She lost her brother to suicide and knows the impact it can have on a family. Those who were at the walk had similar stories. The pathway was lined with photographs of loved ones who had passed and a crafted quilt held many others. It was heart breaking to see the amount of young faces in those photos. Suicide is "the third leading cause of death among those 15-24 years old," according to the AFSP website.

The opening ceremony was beautiful, filled with personal stories, music and poems. Everyone shared a common goal, to let others know that they are not alone and that there are some things in life we cannot prevent or understand. I couldn't help but feel like I needed to seize every moment in life and every opportunity to be with the ones I care about. Each speaker said it in their own way: You don't know how much time you will have with those close to you.

The courage of the families who have had to move on after these tragedies is amazing. Organizations like the AFSP do a great job with helping these families move forward while educating the public on mental disorders. It was an honor to be a part of this day. Thank you, Sara!