GREENWOOD, Ind — A Greenwood teenager who struggled with suicidal thoughts is raising awareness for the issue in her community.
About 200 people walked four laps together around the track at the Greenwood Community High School stadium Saturday night. They walked a mile under the lights at the second annual “Light in the Darkness” event, which was organized by Greenwood High School senior Ava Smith.
"We are walking for suicide prevention and mental health awareness,” Smith said. “It's Suicide Prevention Month right now."
Smith has not lost any friends to suicide, but she dealt with her own thoughts of taking her life and knows she's not alone in those feelings.
"I just want to say one phrase that really stuck with me that my mom told me one day,” she told the crowd during a brief program. “Don't make a forever mistake on a temporary feeling. No matter how alone you are and no matter how dark the times are, you will pull through, and there's people here that care about you."
Smith started this event last year with support from Greenwood High School administrators.
She'll graduate in the spring but hopes this event will continue. She would like to organize an event like this wherever she goes to college.
The walk raised money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, while providing information and resources for others who might be struggling.
Help is always available 24/7 by calling the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
"The hardest part was asking my mom, just telling her I needed help,” Smith said. “The biggest thing when you have depression or anxiety is feeling like a burden to people, so you don't want to ask for help. You don't want to damage their life. But when I truly asked for help, she took the steps to help me. And here I am planning a suicide prevention walk and helping others around me not feel so alone."