Thomas Bedway was a National Guardsman before a severe neck injury forced him into early retirement in 2004. He suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the injury and was turned away from active duty by the military.
Bedway, 43, took his own life on Oct. 27, 2004 after suffering from a deep depression and unsuccessfully coping with a number of deaths of his family and friends
Tom left behind two children and his wife Kelli.
“The thing about suicide is the people left behind wonder why,” Kelli said.
Kelli read Tom’s story on a cloudy and cold Saturday morning to about 800 participants gathered at Kiwanis Park for the 4th annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk.
Out of Darkness Community Walk, a national charity walk hosted by The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, was created to show society that suicide is a growing concern in the nation, Program Director Heather Fahey said.
The 3 to 5 mile-long walk is the beginning of a month long fundraising event and is “an opportunity for survivors of suicide to remember the lost loved ones,” Fahey said.
The AFSP collects and raises money for research and education of suicide prevention programs for schools kindergarten to 12th grade and college campuses through the Out of the Darkness Community Walk.
The Phoenix chapter of AFSP hopes to raise $50,000 this year.
Donations hit $37,530 on Sunday, almost 80 percent of the goal, according to AFSP’s website.
Donations to the program and walks also go toward researching genetic and environmental factors of suicide, AFSP board member and counseling graduate student Rebecca Price said.
University alumna Holly Martinez walked the entire distance Saturday in remembrance of her brother, Vincent Verbryck, who committed suicide in 2009.
“(It’s important) to raise awareness of how big of an issue (suicide) is and realize that there’s help out there if you’re brave enough to ask for it,” Martinez said
Almost one million people attempt suicide in the U.S. each year. Mental health or psychiatric illnesses are found within 90 percent of all suicide deaths and is typically caused by a history of bullying, drug and alcohol abuse, according to AFSP’s website.
Volunteer Kevin Kimmerling said Out of Darkness is meant to be a light to help people struggling with depression and mental illnesses.
“(Suicide) needs to be talked about, it needs to brought to the forefront,” he said. “(The programs) brings people out of the depression … it educates people so they can see the signs and prevent it from ever happening again.”
Donations may be given until Dec. 31 at afsp.donordrive.com.
Reach the reporter at sraymund@asu.edu
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