Alabama Out of the Darkness Walk sees more than 1,800 participants
At Heardmont Park on Sunday, Nov. 5, there were twice as many shoes as people at the Alabama Out of the Darkness Walk.
The long, winding row of worn-in sneakers, sandals and flip-flops that lined the sidewalks through the park belonged to the individuals in the area—many related to the participants walking—who have been lost to suicide over the years. They were provided by relatives and friends.
"Suicide has a profound impact on your community as a whole," said Ashley Foster, the area director for the Alabama and Mississippi chapters for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
The annual Alabama Out of the Darkness Walk brought out thousands of people to nine cities for nine different Out of the Darkness walks happening all over the state of Alabama, Foster said, including the one in Birmingham.
Survivors of suicide, family members and friends wore matching t-shirts commemorating loved ones and an array of beads around their necks as they took a moment of silence at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon to remember those lost to suicide.
Foster said this was the first time they've done an honor bead ceremony where people were chosen to talk about what kind of loss the color of their beads represented and who they lost. The royal blue beads represented suicide prevention as a whole, and the rest of the colors represented specifics such as if someone lost a child, partner, parent, sibling, family member or friend, or personally struggled with mental illness.
"I think [the beads] helps to put a face to suicide and show everyone at the walk that suicide impacts people differently and in different ways," Foster said.
This year, Foster said, there were over 1,800 registered participants, which made this year have the largest number of participants in the annual Birmingham walk. She said about 1,500 people showed up, and the rest were online participants.
"We have raised about $115,000 for the AFSP," she said, "and the number continues to grow."
According to their website, AFSP has a goal to reduce the annual suicide rate by 20 percent by 2025, primarily through funding for suicide awareness through new research, educational programs, support for survivors of suicide attempts and public policy.
"[Having the walk] really was powerful, of course, it's also sad. But at the same time, everyone that was there has found such healing and hope and helped raise awareness," Foster said.
About 14 non-profit organizations, ranging from Hand in Paw to the Shelby National Alliance on Mental Health, set up booths at the event to provide resources and outreach to participants and families.
Possible warning signs for suicide, according to AFSP, includes unrelenting low moods, hopelessness, increased fatigue, anxiety, trouble sleeping, giving away prized possessions, unexpected rage or anger, increased alcohol or drug use, expressing the wish to die and withdrawing from friends and family.
The mission of AFSP is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide through outreach and education. To learn more about suicide prevention through AFSP, go to afsp.org.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or know someone that is, don't hesitate to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It is available 24 hours a day.