Student’s Tide Against Suicide hosted its annual Out of the Darkness Walk on campus Sunday night as its final event for Suicide Awareness Week.
The event featured an opening and closing ceremony with speakers and a bead ceremony. There were different color bead necklaces for students to show the different connections they had to suicide prevention.
Michelle Moss, assistant director of suicide prevention for the University, opened the ceremony.
“Being here today, you are sending the message that mental health is as real as physical health, and that reaching out for help is the strong thing to do together,” she said.
Riley McGrath, a junior majoring in biology and criminal justice, was the student speaker for the event.
“Suicide does not discriminate,” she said. “Even if you have not personally experienced suicide loss, I’m certain you know someone who has been impacted.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than two in five adults know someone who has died by suicide.
Ann Couch, a clinical assistant professor for the Capstone College of Nursing, said the event meant a lot to her and to the healthcare community.
“I’ve been affected personally, but also as a professional,” she said. “Nurses are some of the most compassionate people on this Earth, and if we can save one life, we’ve done a great job. From a mental health perspective, we’ve got to be there. We’ve got to be on the first line.”
Madison Marlowe, a junior majoring in nursing, said the event was important for all healthcare professionals.
“A lot of people go through difficult times, and I think us banding together here and at this event today is really important to show that we’re not alone and that we can rely on each other,” she said.
McGrath said people struggling with mental health should seek support.
“We are all more loved than any of us realize, and more people than you know would miss you if you were gone,” she said.
