In 2018 I stumbled on AFSP Louisville Out of the Darkness walk information online. I was excited to do something to honor my dad. But I was also nervous. I am not super confident in my interpersonal social skills, especially when I was dealing with so many emotions. That first year I didn't raise money, I just showed up at the walk. I needed to be able to dip my toe in and see what AFSP was all about. That first year was a turning point for me. I was overwhelmed by the amount of people there. I spent so many years wrestling with grief alone, I was amazed there was this very large community that knew exactly how I felt. The walk was equal parts a celebration of life and a memorial for those we loved. I left that day with my heart lighter than it had been in years. I knew I had found a way to help, to educate myself and others, and to finally start to heal. 

The following year I organized two very amazing fundraisers and became one of the top fundraisers my first year trying. I am also gay, and the LGBT community is very important to me. AFSP has taught me the statistics for people in my community can be as much as 10 times more likely to make a suicide attempt. I used the fundraisers to help spread awareness in the LGBT community.

AFSP and the Out of the Darkness walks have made me feel empowered. I walk because I know I can make a difference. I walk because I can use my voice to help others. I walk because I know I am not alone and together we can stop suicide. I walk because I will always love my Dad. - Amy C.

Due to insurance restrictions, I was discharged after a month. However, that time in the program instilled something in me, and that was a passion to help myself and others. Years went by, and I began to learn more about advocacy and using my own experiences to do some good in my community. I began speaking out, mostly on social media, about why mental health is important and how to take care of it. I wanted others who were struggling to know that they are not alone. 

In 2015, I discovered the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and attended my first Out of the Darkness walk in Louisville with my mother, as well as my sister, who has also struggled with her mental health. To this day, an enduring image in my mind is that of hundreds of people both in front and behind me, walking for common goals: advocacy, awareness, prevention, healing, and to stop suicide. Maybe most importantly to me at the time though, was that 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦, and would never be alone. 

A mental health community is such a beautiful thing, and I have found it with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. After participating twice in the Louisville walk, I wanted to share the experience. I am now the Walk Chair for the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to be held in Elizabethtown, Kentucky; the first of its kind. This walk has helped me to realize exactly #WhyIWalk: I walk for myself, and for my sister. I walk for my friends who I love dearly that I know struggle. I walk to educate, to advocate, and to help. I walk to let everyone else know that their feelings are IMPORTANT. I walk to remind everyone who, like me, needs to hear it that they are not alone in this world. - Jake R.

"At the time of his death in January 2003, my dad had served for over 20 years in the United States Coast Guard and Army. Throughout his service, he won numerous honors and awards for his outstanding work both in the military and his volunteer service. One of these awards was the prestigious Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal given to him in 2002. He also was awarded a Citation for Heroic Actions and Valiant Efforts by the city of Milwaukee for rescuing a helicopter pilot after the pilot crashed into an embankment of Lake Michigan. 𝘔𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩. The loss of Bill affected everyone who knew and loved him. I have volunteered with AFSP for four years now in memory of my dad, and I hope my dad is proud of who I have become. I hope that AFSP’s work will lead to a future where no one is ashamed of struggling, and where help is always available. - Samantha M.

"Since that day, life has not been easy. It has been filled with good days and bad days. It has consisted of trying to figure out what the new 'normal' is going to be. I cannot speak more highly of seeking out a licensed therapist. My therapist has helped me work through my feelings, find a voice to share my story, and find hope for the future ahead.

Last year was my first year participating in Louisville’s Out of the Darkness Walk. It was the most amazing experience. I was captain of Team Sass and my team raised $11,995!! We were the top team in the 2019 walk and I was the top fundraiser with over $5,000 raised. It was so humbling to see over 85 people come and walk in honor of my dad. It truly showed how loved he was. The walk was a perfect combination of honoring and remembering those that have died by suicide, while also providing support and resources for prevention.

I encourage those that are struggling with mental illness or thoughts of suicide to reach out to a family member, co-worker, close friend, therapist, or the local AFSP chapter. Suicide is preventable. The 𝙇𝙤𝙪𝙞𝙨𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙊𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙒𝙖𝙡𝙠 helps raise awareness and provides resources for those that are struggling, or who have lost someone to suicide. Please join us this year on November 7, 2020 for the walk. These are the reasons why I walk, and I hope it encourages you to join me too.

That Tuesday evening was the start of a battle that will never end for me. That battle means living a life without my 'person' by my side. That day I lost more than just a friend. Along with Maddie went all of our secrets, our inside jokes, our future plans, and a piece of my heart. It has been almost 5 years and I still think about Maddie every day. There will never come a day she does not cross my mind. As I am nearing college graduation, I wonder what path she would have chosen. She would have excelled at anything. I wish more than anything she was here today. There have been many times I go to pick up my phone and dial her number that I still have memorized. 

𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘍𝘚𝘗 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦. I walk to break the stigma. I walk for support. I walk because of my loss. I walk because I hope one day others won’t know the pain of losing someone they love to suicide. I walk to make Maddie proud. I walk because I am not alone. I walk because together we can change the world. - Allie S.

“All I have left of him is his memory and I will honor that by telling his story and sharing our experiences. I have walked in several walks. After losing my son, I moved to Bowling Green and joined in the efforts for the Bowling Green Area walk. - Cathy M.

We have the event in June, because that is Kenneth's birth and the month of Father’s Day. We design shirts with the names of lost loved ones sponsored on the back, remembering why we are riding. The first 2 years, we only had 20 motorcycles, but we kept praying and planning. This year was our 7th Annual event. Due to the Covid we had to move it and make some changes. But we still had it, and it was our biggest year yet! We had 226 bikes and 331 riders show up to help bring awareness to the small town of Munfordville, KY. The total raised for the event this year is $10,561.31! The support that we have from our "family" is incredible! If you have never seen 200+ motorcycles roll out to remember loved ones, you are missing out. Every year we have someone come up to us and tell us that they have tried to end their life, and we tell them, ‘This is your ride. The next time you’re having trouble with your mental health, just remember that this is all for you!’ So, next time you see a bunch of bikers making you wait as they go through an area, remember they are more than likely riding for a benefit!

We participate in Out of the Darkness Walks so that others can have a chance to know that they are not alone, so that facilities are educated to help those who need it, and so that we can keep others from the pain of losing a loved one. - Jame L.