HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Thousands of people die by suicide each year. In hopes to address the epidemic and provide resources for those it affects, September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
"Losing a parent, losing anybody is horrible. Losing them to suicide just adds another spice,” Candice Harnage said.
Harnage lost her mother to suicide in 2019.
"Our particular situation with my mom, sadly this wasn't her first attempt. It’s been through several years but you know depression, anxiety, addiction, whatever the case may be—it doesn't discriminate," Harnage said.
Now she aims to keep suicide awareness on the forefront -- working with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
"I've had so many people come to me privately that just they've lost loved ones, family, friends, coworkers and it really affects them. That's why I don't stop talking about it," she said.
A Johns Hopkins Children's Center study shows losing a parent to suicide makes children more likely to die by suicide themselves.
Judy Hatton says that was nearly her own story.
"I nearly killed myself several times just because I couldn't come to terms with losing my father and my mother and my brother,” Hatton said.
She says after her father died, her brother got a grim diagnosis that affected her mother.
"Then she went into a deep depression and she ended up killing him and then killing herself," Hatton explained.
Like Harnage – she's found her own way of advocacy.
"Writing and journaling had always helped me before so I had continued to do that so in 2014, I wrote a little 13 page pamphlet called the 'Suicide survivors guide'," she said.
Both women say they hope telling their stories makes the difference for someone.
Harnage works with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
On Saturday, September 24, at 1 p.m. in Tattnall Square Park, the group will sponsor the Out of the Darkness Community Walk to fight suicide.
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