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Walk to fight suicide and help survivors

DEAR EDITOR:

My wife and I are in the final stages of preparing for this year’s American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s “Out of the Darkness” walk in Mill Creek Park, and we are sometimes asked why we do it.

After losing our son Terry in 2013, we did not know where to turn for help. And then as we continued to plan the walk, (this is our fourth year) we cannot believe the people that have reached out to us with their personal stories of loss, struggles and survival.

By no means are we counselors; however, we will listen to anyone that needs an ear, especially since we have lived through the tragic loss of our son. Although we miss him everyday and the empty space in our heart will never be filled, I can say we have become stronger together.

This is why we continue to have the walk, for those that do not know who to talk to — those in our military who have lived through things the common person will never understand, our safety forces that have seen things that are truly heartbreaking, the teen who has lost their first love or is bullied because they are “different” and for those who just need someone to say it will be okay. We walk to let the families of those who have suffered loss know we are here with a shoulder to cry on, for those survivors, we are someone to reach out to as we want to hear your story and understand your pain. For all of you, this is why we walk, one step at a time. With all this in mind, this is “Why We Walk.”

Please join us Sept. 29 at the Wick Recreational area of Mill Creek Park, for registration at 10 a.m., with the walk to start at 11 a.m. To register personally or join a team, go to www.afsp.org/youngstown.

Should you have any questions please feel free to contact the walk chairperson, my wife, Cindy at 330-720-2975. For more information on the events, visit the Facebook page, Out of the Darkness Youngstown Walk.

STEVE ORSLENE

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