Suicide prevention vigil and walk event draws about 30 to Memorial Park in Athens

About 30 people gathered at Memorial Park in Athens on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, for a candlelight vigil and walk aimed at raising awareness of suicide, how it impacts communities nationwide, and how it can be prevented. The event was organized by a local group called Unity & Hope.
Two Athens-area residents, Sheila Schug and Marilyn Scherer, helped with the event, which included a social time for attendees to meet one another and share their personal stories, a brat fry, music, rock painting and bracelet making, face painting, raffles, a one-mile walk, and a candlelight vigil of remembrance. The vast majority of the attendees who came to the event were personally touched by the death of a family member, friend, or loved one who died by suicide. The pain they endured at the loss, and the pain that continues even years later, bound those attendees, many of whom shared photos, memories, grief, and tears, but they also shared hugs and hope in this event dedicated to preventing suicide.
The event fell during National Suicide Prevention Month, a designation observed each September to draw attention to suicide as a public health issue and to connect people with resources and support.
Schug, who led the candlelight vigil portion of the event, shared why the cause is so personal to her, as those who gathered around held lit candles in remembrance of those lost to suicide.
“My name is Sheila; I lost my son Coltyn to suicide on March 20, 2020,” Schug said. “Since his passing, I have dedicated my time towards supporting others who were left behind by suicide and helping to raise awareness of the many people who are struggling with their mental health.”

Schug shared a series of statistics with the crowd to underscore the scope of the issue nationally.
“In 2024 alone, 48,824 people passed by suicide in the United States, and still today it remains one of the leading causes of death in our country,” Schug said. “Suicide remains a major public health issue, especially among young people. For our youth ages 10-14 and 15-24, suicide is the second leading cause of death.”
She also cited figures on high school students.
“Amongst high school students, 1 in 5 reported seriously considering suicide, while nearly 1 in 10 reported attempting suicide in the past year,” Schug said.
Schug noted the toll suicide has taken on military service members and veterans.
“Suicide also has a significant impact on our military and veterans,” Schug said. “In 2023, 523 U.S. active military passed by suicide, and in 2022, an average of 18 veteran deaths a day were attributed to suicide. These statistics show why mental health care and reducing the stigma around asking for help are vital.”
Schug used her remarks to offer the crowd practical guidance on how to support someone who may be struggling.
“If you know someone who is struggling with their mental health, or who suffers from suicidal ideations, there are ways to help,” Schug said. “Please take their pleas for help seriously, listen closely, and do not dismiss them as being overly dramatic. Listen to their plight without judgment, allowing them to talk through their feelings.”
She cautioned against certain responses that can unintentionally minimize a person’s pain.
“Avoid responses like ‘It could be worse,’ or ‘You have so much to live for,’ but instead let them know you are thankful they entrusted you with their emotions and you are there for them,” Schug said. “You can also reach out to mutual friends and/or their family to let others know they are struggling. If able, remove any items that could be used to cause self-harm. You do not have to be a mental health professional to help save a life.”
Schug told attendees that small, consistent actions can make a meaningful difference.
“Taking notice, listening, staying present, and connecting your loved one with a strong support system can be just what they need to continue to survive through difficult moments,” Schug said.
She closed her remarks by reading a poem she found online, telling the crowd she did not know its author but found it captured her own grief and then reading aloud notes attendees had written to or for loved ones they had lost to suicide.
“To anyone who is struggling, or who has lost a loved one to suicide, please stand strong and know you are not alone,” Schug said.
Not surprisingly, a number of those who attended the event had lost a child to suicide, but it wasn’t just parents in attendance. Others who came out for the event had lost a parent or grandparent, a sibling, a niece or nephew, a cousin, or a close friend. For some, the loss of their loved one was only weeks or months ago, while others were still feeling the pain of the loss that had occurred decades ago. It is a pain that changes with time, they said, but never leaves them, a pain they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. Most still live with the shock and grief that will never go away, hidden beneath a soft smile that emerges when they share memories of time spent with their loved one. But even those smiles and sometimes laughter at a memory are often tarnished by the tears that glisten in their eyes.
One of the most difficult things many attendees shared was their complete shock at the death of their loved one. While some of those who died by suicide experienced a mental health crisis, displayed signs of distress, or tried to reach out for help in some way, others did not. Their death by suicide caught their family and friends completely off guard, even when some learned their loved one had taken time to prepare and plan for their own death. Regardless of the circumstances, those left behind suffer trauma and grief as a result.
In joining together with groups like Unity & Hope, survivors help each other cope and move forward with their own lives in the aftermath of their loved one’s death by suicide. And by holding public events like this September event in Athens, they hope to increase awareness of the magnitude of the problem, to invite other survivors to come together for support, to encourage those in crisis to talk with someone and to seek help, and to prevent deaths by suicide.
If you or someone you know or love is experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.