Every year is a tough one for suicide. 2018 has been particularly difficult.
A rash of deaths — of celebrities, veterans and young people — has highlighted the enormity of the issue, for those who die by their own hand, and those they leave behind.
This Saturday (October 27) marks the 10th year that Team Emma participates in the Out of the Darkness Walk at Sherwood Island State Park. Friends and family will remember a vibrant high school student and daughter of Saugatuck Elementary School teacher Peter von Euler, who took her own life more than a decade ago.
For the 3rd year, another team will walk in memory of Cody Thomas, a beloved Staples High School English teacher.
No one in Westport has not been impacted by suicide. So far, 65 teams and over 450 walkers — of all ages — have registered. They’ve already raised over $90,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
On Saturday, they’ll join in a flat 2 1/2-mile loop around Sherwood Island. They’ll enjoy serene views of Long Island Sound, and the 9-11 Memorial.
They’ll think of the men, women and children they miss. And they’ll do all they can to ensure that no one else will walk in their shoes.
(Registration begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday. The walk starts at 12 noon, and ends around 2 p.m. Online registration closes at noon on Friday. However, on-site registrants are welcome. For more information, click here.)