Walking to bring suicide ‘Out of the Darkness’

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HURON — “Suicide is not prejudiced, it doesn’t pick on any one person, family, gender, race, nothing,” said Angela Drake, the board chair of the American Foundation for Suicide and Prevention for South Dakota. “It doesn’t care, it effects everyone, whether you lost somebody directly or touched somebody.... the ripple effect is huge.”
A snapshot of that ripple was in evidence Saturday morning, as approximately 120 people took part in the second “Out of the Darkness” suicide awareness walk and fundraiser, held at Campbell Park in downtown Huron. The walk mirrored similar activities taking place in Aberdeen and Sioux Falls. People from all parts of life were on hand, for many different reasons - from honoring a friend or loved one to being supportive of a family or just to offer a helping hand to someone who is suffering.
“I walk for three people I know; Tony and JoAnn Smith’s kids, Alex and Aaron, and a fellow co-worker at NAPA, Brian Swanda,” said Joe Turner. “This is my second year attending the walk. Last year I walked three miles, one for each person, and will do the same this year.”
Joann Smith of Huron said when she lost her boys, she thought it was only her family that felt the pain.
“Then I began visiting with Angela Drake and people started contacting us. We were so saddened by how many people there are just in Huron that are just like me, and it touched me in some way.”

Drake said that it was Smith who brought the Out of the Darkness walk to Huron and that after a great event last year, she was anticipating a good turnout for this year’s walk.
“We’ve welcomed a lot of last minute walk-ups,” Drake said. “I’m just excited to bring people together to spread awareness, help with prevention and raise funds for advocacy at both the state and national level. We have lots of different people coming together to provide hope to each other.”
Drake said that communities across the state need to be aware of the growing threat of suicide. She pointed to 191 shoes arranged on a stand - one shoe for each person lost to suicide in the state in 2018. “Last year,” she said, “South Dakota went from ninth in the nation to seventh in suicides per capita.”
Drake added that there is a mental health training crusade that will take place in Huron. “So the direct impact of what we are doing here today impacts the community as a whole.
“Every person you meet has stuff they are dealing with and you never know how close someone is to his or her breaking point,” Turner said. “Spreading awareness is good. I personally battle depression due to fibromyalgia. I fight back through it with family and faith.”
Event organizer Annette Bowen said she was thankful for Saturday’s sponsors - Avail Wealth Management, Dakota Provisions, Jensen Livestock, Inc., Huron Regional Medical Center and Performance Radio for helping “spread the ripple” throughout the community. “Walks like this don’t just happen without sponsors,” Bowen said. “As we all come together today, it is showing this community that we truly want to create a culture that is smart about mental health.”
“We’re here for different reasons.” Drake said. “Every one has beads on - for the different battle that one or several many have faced. Walking in someone else’s shoes is never easy and we come together today not only for the 191 people represented by the shoes, but for the 4,000 who could have been here.”
If you have feelings of depression, contact Beadle County Community Counseling, or call 211 or go to afsp.org.
But contact someone.