JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, there was a total of more than 41,000 lives lost in 2013: one every 12.8 minutes, according to Suicide Awareness Voices of Education.
To combat the prevalence of deaths caused by suicide, U.S. Service members and Hampton Roads, Virginia, citizens joined forces to spread awareness about suicide prevention during the 10th annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk at Mount Trashmore Park in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Sept. 12.
"We're trying to bring the disease of depression and the tragedy of suicide out of the darkness - there is a link," said Tom Schaad, WAVY News 10 anchor. "There are walks to promote good physical health ... but this is one to promote mental health and it's just as important as being strong and healthy physically. Our community has been so responsive to the need to raise awareness."
U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. (Dr.) Sean Murphy, Command Surgeon, Headquarters Air Combat Command, spoke of the main causes of suicide; relationships, money and legal problems, and how to overcome them.
"With depression, with suicide, there always is a lack of hope," Murphy said. "The things that take us out of those sadness curves [in life] is each one of us being able to reach down and pick someone else up. Any one of those aspects can be overcome."
In addition, a Hampton Roads couple, Steve and Kim Bach, spoke of their experience in dealing with their son's suicide.
"When I saw the flashing lights, I thought to myself, this can't be good," said Kim. "My heart broke. It became clear when the police officer walked up to us and said, 'He didn't make it,' and from that moment on my perspective in life changed.
"He wasn't the depressed, moping person you see on TV," she continued. "Before Evan's death, I never thought about suicide. In these four years through the grief work and healing, I've come to understand that Evan was depressed."
After the more formal portion of the event, the walk started off with several Hampton Roads community leaders walking through a veil of origami cranes, symbolizing prayers of peace for those who died by suicide and anyone presently suffering from depression. More than 6,000 Hampton Roads citizens and military members, including those aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Persian Gulf, participated in the walk. Out of 325 nationwide walks, in 2014, the Hampton Roads walk was the largest, according to Schaad.
For more information about suicide prevention and the resources available, visit dspo.mil and jble.af.mil/resiliencydirectory.asp. For emergencies, report to the closest emergency room or dial "911."