Out of the Darkness

I participated in a 5K walk today that aims to raise awareness for suicide prevention.

Here is a quote from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website.

“In the United States, a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes, claiming more than 36,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute, with close to one million people attempting suicide annually. Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. among adults 18-65, the second leading cause of death among teens and young adults, and individuals ages 65 and older account for 16 percent of all suicide deaths. This is a public health issue that does not discriminate by age, gender, ethnicity, or socio-economic status.”

It doesn’t have to be that way, life is not hopeless and there are people who care and it is those that care that suicide hurts the most. Suicide hit close to home for my daughter and myself nine months ago when I lost my wife and my daughter lost her mom to mental illness and suicide. Suicide isn’t an answer to a problem, it’s a permanent end to a problem that can be solved and it scars those that are left behind.

http://www.afsp.org/

http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.home