Every year Mother’s Day is quite bittersweet. As I’ve discussed in the past, the loss of my mother to suicide when I was 11 years old has been one of the most influential factors in my life. It has driven me to excel in my career and become a better person but also caused me immeasurable pain, sorrow, and confusion for decades. After nearly 30 years, I finally sought help about 6 years ago and I have come to terms with much of what happened. I still miss my mother, but am thankful for all that she has indirectly given me.
In June of 2019, my good friend Christopher Thibdeau asked me to join him in an “Out of the Darkness” overnight walk fundraiser in Boston that was to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The event is a 16 mile walk that starts at dusk and goes through the night. Funds are raised to benefit the AFSP. That night in Boston was life-changing and has helped me better cope with my loss, realize how many people had similar stories, and also helped me find a way that I would be able to help give back. The AFSP has become my calling for the kind charity work I wanted to be a part of to help others learn about suicide prevention.
On June 24, 2021 I will be again participating in the AFSO Overnight walk. Due to the pandemic, the event will be “virtual” so instead I will be creating my own course in my local area and will walk 16 miles through the night to raise money for the AFSP. I started this fundraiser in April on Facebook with an initial goal of $500. I quickly met and surpassed that goal, and have raised my goal to $1000. To date I am at $775 and am looking to meet my goal before the end of May. Can you please help me reach my goal?
You can donate here: https://www.theovernight.org/participant/40493
I am so grateful for all of the family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances who have made generous donations to my AFSP fundraisers. Thank you for your continued support!
This Mother’s Day I am extremely thankful for my wife, Stacy, who is an amazing stepmother to our boys and to her mother, Denice, for embracing me as her son and the boys as her step grandchildren. I am also celebrating the lives of my mom and my grandmother “Grammy” Laux who helped raise and nurture me.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing moms out there! I hope you have a fantastic day!
Learn more about AFSP
Please visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to learn more about the organization or about how you can get help or how you can help others in need. https://afsp.org.