Member since:
March 16, 2007

The Out Of The Darkness Walk for suicide Prevention is just around the corner

September 16, 2009 07:20 PM EDT (Updated: September 16, 2009 09:47 PM EDT)

views: 196 | comments: 22

Dear Friends and family:
After his battle with depression, my family lost a son, brother,nephew, uncle, and friend in August of 2003 to suicide. We are all forever changed by this tragic event. My hope is that through education and awareness, those suffering with a mental illness will be prompted to seek help. This year, I will be participating in the Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide prevention in San Francisco on September 26th. A major goal of this event is to show support for the families and friends of the 32,000 Americans who die by suicide, and the 20 million people who suffer from depression, each year. Support of the community walks also helps to raise funds for suicide prevention research and educational programs, erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, and encourage those who are suffering from mental illness to seek treatment. Last year, the community walks raised over $2.5 million. This year, our goal is $3.5 million.
Please consider donating to help me reach my personal goal of $350.00 . Any contribution will help the work of AFSP, and all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation please use this link

http://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&eventID=856&participantID=53855

You may either donate online, or you may send a check (made payable to AFSP) to: AFSP, 120 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New York, NY 10005. Please write my name in the memo line of all checks. Thank you so much for your support!

Trudy Parks

view all photos

You need the latest Adobe Flash Player.
Install the player now

Tags: out of the darkness walks, suicide, dustin, son, loss, afsp, support

To Groups: Christian Guild, Monkey's Point Playground - POST IT ALL HERE!, Post It If You Got It!, Gather Slackers, That Other Group, Dannielle's Den, Confused about which/what article to post where? Post it here!, Artistic Minds®, GatherGroup, Posting Clubhouse, I was REALLY bored ;), In 'em to get 'em!, EveryThing, !!!THIS IS A MASS EMAIL GROUP!!!, Photos, Articles and Videos Wanted, Anything and Everything, The Family Diner, Comment as you please, Endless points, ! 2009 Gather Archive !, No Fighting, Whining or Putting Things Down, Points Points Points, The Total Package, Tryingfor3000, SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY, NEVER EVER EVER EVER GIVE UP..........., !! ~*~ Insane Asylum ~*~ !!, THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION, Whatever You Want, I don't care., Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Nothing, Jump In The Spotlight!, Our Soul Journey, posts,picturesand videos,all types welcome please flag appropriately, GATHER GROUP E-MAIL UNLIMITED!!!!, Posting Point Junction, I understand and accept mass emails, Heart Tugs, Jadiana - La La Land's Moon, POINTS MAKE PRIZES, thought provoking, !! ~Striving for 3000~ !! Supporters, snail points, Publish freely, Synchronicity's Sweet Tea Cafe, Gimme 10!!!, Maximus Optimus, Broadcast your message!, Post All You Got, Some of your favorite & best articles and images....Publish anything,variety Page, This & That, Free For Most, The Point Of It All, Post it, ~3,000 Here We Come!~, Gather it All and Share it with Your Friends, Anything & Everything, Any article, picture or comment...Oh My!, ! Spamn It All! (Spam your articles, images and videos here), Articles and Photos and Anything At All, ZZZ Article, ZZZ Photo, ZZZ Video, ZZZ Anything! Points for it all!, What's on your Mind, PostIt, I want it All, watvr u want, FREE SPEECH AREA FOR EVERYONE ON GATHER, the collection box, ! 44 by 4400 Group !, West Coast Friends, I NEED POINTS!, Put it Here!, ~pinky finger friends~, Get Your Points, Wanted: Points for Great Stuff, UpAllNiteCafe, Point Reservoir, Clear Minds Create, * POINTS - JUST FOR POINTS *, Posty Points, Post Everything Here For Points, Get More Points, West Coast View, !!! Breaking 3,000 !!!, !!!TODAY'S TOP PHOTOS AND ARTICLES!!! (submit your favorite articles and photos), POINTS FOR ALL, POINTS FOR ME - POINTS FOR YOU - PASS ME THE POINTS PLEASE, Leave It Here, Points The Way!, Drive-By Tens, Points Maximizer, Point Whore, @ to Z - Post everything from A-Z (minus the X stuff), Post It to Me, Californians on Gather, Post Whatever The Heck You Want Here!, Sisters United, dumping ground for good and bad, Post! Post! Post! Post! Post! Anything - article, images, video, Point Winner, ~* All I Wanna Do Is Score Some Points*~, SHARE ANYTHING, !!! I need attention !!!, Everything, Oh, just spit it out!, !!!!We want your posts!!!!, !!! Random Posts !!!, Point Lusters, Post What You Want Base, Breakfast Club, point makers paradise, The View By You, Ron B, Internatural Man of mastery, FAN CLUB for an all around good guy., POINT PIGGYS, We Comment Back!, ~* Score The Points*~, !!! Comment Speedway !!!, Go ahead ~ POST, POST, POST !, Points Generator, Your Favorite Pics, Speak your Mind~Anything Goes, Quality Over Quantity, Casual Where, All Posts Welcome!!!, People Lovers Everywhere!, The Daily Grind Kaffee Haus, !!! They're Coming To Take Me Away Ha Ha Ho Ho He He Post Anything Group !!!, Unofficial Gatherholics, YaDaYadaYada, ***The Elsie Duggan, Matriarch of Gather, Fan Club***, Amateurs, Newbies, Rookies, and Friends, Gatherlicious, Gather Geezers, Art and Literary Enthusiasts, I appreciate your writing and photos, Old Hippie's Corner, *"Pay It Forward"*, Friends on Gather, !GATHERING POSTAHOLICS!, Reaching Out, PTSD Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cafe Wall, Christian authors and photographers, FREEZE FRAME, Whatever's Clever, Mass Mails, Points, and Lots of Fun, OH MY!, ~10 Stars, drive by, post anything Rated G, comment when you can~, Points for all your posts., Getting to 3000 together, I was bored :), ! Whatever Floats Your Boat (Post Almost Anything), Runs With Scissors!, Things that make you go hmmm..., Gathering on Common Ground, Post the moon, Creativity, !!anything!!, Post-It!, Post stuff of any kind - whatever comes to your mind!, A to Z, To Know Me Is to Love Me, The Post Anything Club, Gather Broadcasting, The Dark Room, gatherers from everywhere, I WISH YOU WOULD!, Loose Lips, When the Points Come Marching In [A Post Anything Group], Gather's Stars, California Dreaming, KindredSpirits, Point Palace, Point Spammers, ! Post Office @ Gather Town !, !! ~*~ Geeks Я Us ~*~ !!, As we gather to share, Type and post What You want AND dont get Deleted!, PointBusters!, !! ~*~ Show Me the Points ~*~ !!, Artists United, points r yummy, Home Comfort, The Renewed Activist, Good Night Gather, THE WORKS: every article, image & video, Gather Girls Club, EXCUSE ME...DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO SAY???, WISHING FOR POINTS, !!! Post It, We're Not Picky !!!, Whatever!, I write and I take pictures because it brings me pleasure, Greedy4Points, GatherPointAddicts, Cali. talk, Go Ahead and Vent!, Our Neighborhood, DragonSoul's Point Distribution Depot, Unlimited Access, **Let's Get Together~ Post anything!**, *Friends On Gather*, All articles/images get rated a 10!!, Pointology, *Inspiration Station*, I'll Take IT!!!, Forever Gather Friends, One Hundred Comments, Ratings Rampage!, Whatever You Wanna Post, 2009: All things created in '09, Come on in and post, All, Post anything from your life! I mean ANYTHING!!!~, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE POINTS - POINTS MAXIMIZER - JOIN MY GROUP, Point Pavilion, nota pto mom, Would You Like Points With Your Fries?, the whole kit and caboodle (anything goes), As The Points Turn, Inviting-Points, A Beautiful World of Articles, Photo, Videos and You, brought to you by the Gather Women's Coalition, its all good, As You Wish~, Points Nation !!!, Timeless Imagination, Arielle's Points Parlor, Gather Soup, REACHING FOR THE POINTS, Buenas Noches Gather, The Emotional Support System, Slices of Life, Best of Gather, Helping hands, WELL, HERE WE ALL ARE........NOW WHAT??, Left Behind by Suicide

recommend this

link to this page

Bookmark this post:

Comments: 22

Donna Besso Sep 16, 2009, 7:45pm EDT

I have been devestated over a loved one's suicide. Thank you for this article.

Trudy P. Sep 16, 2009, 10:01pm EDT

It is something you never get over.

Carol P. Sep 17, 2009, 11:04am EDT

You are so right Trudy. We get through it, never over it. I will be with you in thought wuring your walk. And our Dustin's will be right beside you, as they were with me last year.

reply to this comment

Annmarie B. Sep 16, 2009, 9:12pm EDT

I saw my friend on her kitchen floor. She killed herself. I was screaming, How could you do this.I too suffer from depression and live on 2 medications for it. It is a terrible thing to have. Good work you are doing. I have a friend who is depressed and has no medical insurance so is there a way she can get in touch with you??

Trudy P. Sep 16, 2009, 10:00pm EDT

Hi Annmarie,
I'm sorry to hear about your depression, it is not an easy thing to deal with. About your friend, is she willing to get help? Is there a county mental health clinic around that she could go to? If it gets bad enough she could go to the emergency room of the nearest hospital, they cannot refuse care. She could contact the suicide prevention hotline in her area to talk to someone. They are trained to handle situations like this and maybe able to refer her to help. I sent you a personal e-mail with my e-mail address.

Trudy P. Sep 16, 2009, 10:06pm EDT

Your friend can contact American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at AFSP.org for help

Annmarie B. Sep 16, 2009, 10:25pm EDT

THANKS SO MUCH`

Annmarie B. Sep 16, 2009, 10:27pm EDT

She lives far away from me in another state. But I will give her this info.thanks so much. Thanks for the email.

Carol P. Sep 17, 2009, 11:05am EDT

AnnMarie, Sorry about your friend, I do hope she gets help. Trudy is a great resource to help. We are here for you. Hope you don't mind that I "butted" in on your conversation Trudy.

Trudy P. Sep 17, 2009, 5:27pm EDT

LOL Carol....of course I don't mind! :-)

reply to this comment

Howard b. Sep 16, 2009, 9:19pm EDT

I received a call the other night from a friend I hadn't heard from in over 20 years. She told me her brother Had commited sucide .He had lost his wife to an illness a while back. He went to a friends funeral This past week .Went home and shot himself.Why can't these people think of what they are leaving behind. It hurts so many people . He will never see another sunshiney day .Never hold his loved ones. What a loos for both sides.

Trudy P. Sep 16, 2009, 10:00pm EDT

I agree it is a tragic loss to everyone involved!

Carol P. Sep 30, 2009, 9:47am EDT

Howard, Just my two cents. "These people" are not in their right minds when they take their life, they can't see past their pain. My son was 16, if he had known the lifetime of pain he left for me, he would still be here. They cannot see past the pain.

reply to this comment

Nancy S. Sep 16, 2009, 9:30pm EDT

This is a subject that needs to be brought out in the open.

Trudy P. Sep 16, 2009, 10:01pm EDT

I totally agree with you!

reply to this comment

Deb J. Sep 17, 2009, 8:28am EDT

So sad!!

Trudy P. Sep 17, 2009, 5:29pm EDT

It is sad... people don't know how many are touched by suicide.

reply to this comment

Carol P. Sep 17, 2009, 11:06am EDT

I have featured your article in my group, Living with PTSD.

Trudy P. Sep 17, 2009, 5:28pm EDT

Thank you carol.

reply to this comment

Meagan M. Sep 17, 2009, 11:54am EDT

This is just a friendly comment to tell you that your content has reached 50 views and will now be removed from 50 Views Per Content Congrats

reply to this comment

Kristi B. Nov 11, 2009, 2:04am EST

It is so wonderful for you to share this information!
My mom and I both take part in the Out of the Darkness walks in our area, and as a matter of fact, I'm wearing my t-shirt at this moment!
I hope that you continue to spread that word.

reply to this comment