On Saturday, Johanna Annunziata joined her friends to support Seventeen Miles for Spencer in a walk for suicide prevention. Annunziata, who is a teacher, also said that the event allows her to highlight the people in her life that might be struggling alone but to let them know she is there to help and support them. 

“I’m a high school teacher and I see a lot of my students struggle and question these thoughts all of the time,” Annunziata said. “For me, being here for Spencer is also being here for me is to shed a light for my students that are struggling, to show them I support them, I love them, and I care about them as an individual through their pain and happiness.”

The 10th Out of the Darkness Community Walk to End Suicide took place in Institute Park in Worcester on Saturday, September 18, recognizing people’s struggles and standing in support of families, friends, and the rest of the community. This was the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s first in person event in almost two years, and it is kicking off a total of nine walks across the state.

Hundreds of participants throughout the Worcester County community walked in the Central Massachusetts chapter of the AFSP annual walk. Over $500,000 was raised in support of regional and national programming and research, according to AFSP. Online donations will be accepted until December 31. To make a donation, go to AFSP Out of the Darkness Community.

“We have been truly amazed by the amount of donations and registrations coming in this year,” said Jessica van der Stad, who is the Massachusetts area director for AFSP.

Van der Stad added that the demand for AFSP’s programs went up during the pandemic, but the events and donations were down. To be able to have such a high turnout this year, she said, ensures that programs and outreach continue.

The 2021 Central Massachusetts’ Worcester Walk was sponsored by Hope for Worcester, McCue, Reliant Medical Group, Shine Initiative, Stryker, Lobisser Building Corps, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Open Sky Community Services, Worcester Fire Department, Saint John’s High School, Good Vibrations DJ Entertainment, Creedon and Co., Shields Health Care Group, Wegmans, Central Massachusetts Suicide Prevention Coalition, and Massachusetts Together to Fight Suicide.

“It raises awareness so people don’t have to feel like they are alone,” said Richard Johnson, who attended with Adult and Teen Challenge out of Hope for Worcester. “There are people out there who care for them and want to help them.”

Hope for Worcester, which helps to connect the community with resources and services by engaging with power leaders to help those in need, was a main sponsor of the event. Vice President Tanja Hayward said that Hope for Worcester wanted to take part in the initiative to provide resources and support those that need help.

“There’s a lot of brokenness,” Hayward said. “There’s a lot of need.”

Hayward said that at Hope for Worcester’s annual Day of Hope event, a lot of people shared that they knew someone who they lost due to suicide.

“My personal story, I lost my sister three years ago to suicide,” Hayward said. “When I had joined Hope for Worcester, I saw there really weren’t any organizations (advocating around suicide prevention). As we know, mental illness, addiction, and lots of times suicide go together. I wanted to bring awareness.”

Hayward said that Hope for Worcester members and a big team of community members were walking as well as raising money. 

“We’re super excited to partner with them,” Hayward said. “Especially with the pandemic, the rates are rising, so we’re so excited to partner with them. We’re helping them raise awareness and provide the resources for them to go to if they or a loved one need them.”

Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito and Worcester City Councilor Sean Rose were among those in attendance.

Ricky Duran, who was a finalist in “The Voice,” was among the special guests as well. Duran lost his father in 2012 and his best friend in 2015 to suicide. He said in his speech at the Prevention Walk that he was “instantly hit with emotions, confused about what happened” at the time and blamed himself for not being able to recognize signs.

Duran’s newest song, “Waiting On You,” was meant to help him deal with his personal experience and lend his voice to suicide prevention. Duran had written the song years ago, he said, but is just now releasing it thanks to his partnership with AFSP. 

“I didn’t really have any closure, so I kind of wrote this song as if my dad was talking to me, things he would have said to me,” Duran said. “It means a lot to me to be at the walk on the 18th and sing my song, knowing that I’ll be singing it to a group of people who have been through similar situations.”

Duran hopes that people will be able to take hope and a peace of mind from his song. Duran’s music video was filmed in Worcester.

“It means a lot to me to be supporting the community like they supported me when I was on ‘The Voice,’” Duran said. “I know I have a lot of love in that city. I appreciate it very much.”

According to AFSP, suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the US. It is the second-leading cause among 12-34 year olds in Massachusetts, and 740 deaths in the state in 2020 were by suicide.

Participants wore colorful beads to symbolize a particular person or group who has been lost to suicide. Gold, for instance, represents the loss of a parent. Purple is for a friend; white represents a child; red for spouse; silver is for a service member; green is a personal struggle; and more.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide—whether you are in crisis or not—call or live chat the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text line by texting TALK to 741741.