American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gathers hundreds of people for "Out of Darkness" march

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – Hundreds of people gathered in Tyler for a suicide prevention march on Saturday.

Kim Cathey, one of the volunteers who participated in the march, lost her nephew in 2016.

He says it’s the “worst news you could ever get”

“Unless you’ve experienced something like this, you never think about suicide,” Cathey said. “This is something that can’t just happen to you or anyone you know, and it could happen to anyone.

It could be your next door neighbor; can be your best friend. You just never know.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 49,476 Americans died by suicide in 2022.

Sometimes the signs that someone is considering self-harm are not obvious, says the nonprofit’s Kimberly Grant.

“You’re looking for something that lasts for a few days, maybe a week, more, or a few weeks,” Grant said. “Then you think ‘okay there’s a problem’ and you find someone.”

She said someone could be a school counselor, local counselor or therapist, but time is of the essence.

“You don’t want to waste time because you don’t know,” Grant said.

Grant recognized signs about his son early and helped him get professional help. After going to college, he noticed that he had become quieter over time.

She wanted to talk to him when he came home for the Thanksgiving holiday, but he committed suicide the day after he got home.

This led to Grant joining the nonprofit.

Another volunteer who lost family members to suicide during the march was Adanze Aguwa. He also tried to take his own life.

She talked about it being difficult to talk about her struggles and knows it can be difficult for others to open up. He said the most important thing is to get help.

“You live a quality and functional life, that’s what’s important,” Aguwa said. “Just because someone calls you crazy or refers to you as someone with mental health (issues), it doesn’t diminish who you are.

What devalues your identity is when you don’t take care of your mental health and end up not being able to function.”

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention urges those dealing with mental health issues, dealing with loss, or concerned about someone close to them to call 9-8-8, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

To learn about other resources, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website: https://afsp.org/