Hundreds Walk Out of the Darkness in Charleston: 'You Are Not Alone'

On Saturday, downtown Charleston turned a sea of blue and teal. Hundreds of West Virginians gathered at Slack Plaza for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's annual Out of the Darkness Walk, and they came with one message for anybody who is hurting right now: you are not alone.

The walk brought together survivors, families, friends and advocates. Some came to remember someone they lost. Some came to support people in recovery. And some came simply to stand beside neighbors and show that this is something we can talk about out loud.

Beads that tell a story

Throughout the walk, people wore colored honor beads, each color standing for a personal connection to suicide or mental health. It is a quiet way of saying what can be hard to put into words, and it turned a crowd of strangers into people who understood each other without a word being spoken.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a nonprofit that works to save lives through mental health education, scientific research and support for people who have been affected by suicide. Walks like this one happen in communities across the country, and Charleston's turnout showed how much this cause means to folks here at home.

Help is a call or text away

Walkers who shared their stories pointed again and again to the same thing: help works, and reaching out is not something to be ashamed of. Therapy, local mental health care and crisis lines all came up as lifelines, and one survivor said the 988 line helped her through some of her darkest days.

If you or someone you love is struggling, you can call or text 988 any time, day or night, to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also chat online at 988lifeline.org. It is free and confidential.

Looking out for each other

West Virginians are known for showing up when a neighbor is in trouble. We bring casseroles, we fix fences, we sit on the porch and listen. Saturday's walk was a reminder that the same kindness matters just as much when the trouble is one you can't see.

So check on your people this week. Send the text. Make the call. Ask how they are really doing, and wait for the answer. Sometimes that is all it takes to bring someone a little further out of the darkness.