By KAITLIN BROTHERS
Reporter
(WARRENSBURG, Mo., digitalBURG) — April Roller’s husband Jeremy died by suicide three years ago.
“When Jeremy died, I told people that he was sick and we didn’t know,” Roller said. “He was raised with the mentality that it’s not OK to seek treatment.”
Roller said her personal loss inspired her to join efforts to increase suicide research, awareness and prevention programs.
She’s a board member at UCM’s student chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
The AFSP, with members of the Johnson County, Missouri, community, will host the fifth annual Out of the Darkness community walk at noon Sept. 10 at the Warrensburg Middle School. Registration will take place between 10-11:45 a.m., followed by remarks from Missouri Sen. David Pearce at 11:45 a.m.
Registration is free online before the walk.
“The AFSP is huge about helping people become involved with suicide prevention,” Roller said. “We don’t want to say you have to pay this fee so you can participate.”
Roller said the ultimate goal of the event is to raise awareness and funds.
“The funds that are raised there all on a voluntary donation type basis,” Roller said. “They go back toward suicide prevention tool kits for schools, educational materials, and we put on presentations for schools. All the stuff that we do is to give back to the community.”
Roller said she encourages people to participate in the walk, despite any uncomfort they might feel.
“The beautiful thing about this walk is when you go, you’ll see there’s a lot of hesitation because you think it’s going to be a sad or depressing event, and that’s not what it is at all,” Roller said. “It’s a very healing event and very hopeful and the people there, especially those who have lost a loved one, to them it’s very scary because you’re owning that loss. But, you’ll see our teams coming together and we quickly become a family.”
To register for the Out of Darkness community walk or make a donation to AFSP, visit afsp.donordrive.com/event/warrensburg.