The 8th Annual Jerry’s Walk for Suicide Awareness took place today in St. Clairsville, OH, at the St. Clairsville Memorial for Suicide Awareness. Participants were invited to walk, sign up for the auction, donate a suicide pinwheel in memory of someone they may have lost to suicide, and interact with mental health experts from Belmont County and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation to access community resources.
The event was inspired by Jerry Williams, who died by suicide at the age of 75 and inspired his daughter Sandy Williams to organize the walk. The aim of the event is to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide, particularly for older males like Jerry. Sandy Williams emphasized that despite being in 2024, suicide is still a taboo topic for many people. She encouraged open conversations about struggles and suicidal thoughts and stressed the importance of removing the stigma around mental health.
During her speech, Sandy shared her personal experience of losing her father to suicide and how uninformed they were about its impact. She urged participants to seek help if they or someone they know is struggling with mental health issues. The message was clear: “Let us help you. Don’t hide.”