Southeast Texans gathered at the downtown Event Centre on a sunny Saturday afternoon to remember loved ones lost to suicide and to encourage others to keep living.
The “Out of the Darkness Community Walk,”organized by the local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, also offered visitors a range of support and awareness resources.
Lamar University freshman Brailey Wilmouth said she was walking for her sister.
“I lost my sister two years ago in March,” she said. “It’s hard that people have to do this, but I’m glad that people are spreading awareness. It’s real and it’s important and people do need help.”
Brooke Armstrong, a friend of Wilmouth, said she had a lot of friends who have gone through depression or wanted to commit suicide.
“That’s a big reason why I’m here,” she said.
Kristen Bush walked for her little sister, Lillian Sands, who was 15 when she died on Oct. 22, 2017.
“It’s not something that doesn’t happen to people,” Bush said. “We would have never expected this to happen to any of us.”
Bush, and her mother, Crystal Sands, both live in Beaumont. Their group wore shirts for the walk that said, “In memory of a princess, Lillian Victoria.”
Sands said the detective who handled her daughter’s case told her that three people die by suicide in Beaumont every week.
“Ask questions if you know someone struggling,” she said. “Tell someone. If your friend talks about it, tell a parent, tell an adult, because it really does happen.”
Bush said she believes walks like “Out of the Darkness” raise awareness and help point teens, like her sister, towards solutions. “A lot of teenagers just tell their friends, and their friends don’t know what to do with that information,” she said. “If you are struggling and you tell a friend, maybe talk to a professional or an adult that would know what to do.
“If your friend tells you they’re feeling suicidal, do something about it. Don’t just listen and not take any action.”
For more information, visitafsp.donordrive.com/communitywalks.
Story by Eleanor Skelton, UP contributor