Walking to Prevent Suicide, the 10th Leading Cause of Death
Oriana Clayton, holding a memorial sign in front, walks Saturday in Wake Forest. Photo by Leanora Minai.They wore beads. Gold, for loss of a parent. Silver, a child. Red, for a spouse or partner.
They wore Burger King crowns for a would-be 22nd birthday.
They wrote notes like "the world just isn't the same" on paper butterflies, balloons and hearts, then tied them to tree branches.
“This is my son. He’s the impetus for everything,” said Carolyn Zahnow, touching a ‘Remembering Cameron 1987-2005’ button pinned to her T-shirt.
Zahnow organized the Out of the Darkness Community Walk on Saturday in Wake Forest to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. About 250 people walked 3-miles through Historic Downtown Wake Forest, raising $7,389 to help prevent suicide, the 4th leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65, and the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
“Survivors get a sense of comfort because we all come together,” Zahnow said. “We’re all here to try and prevent additional suicide. If you don’t try, you’ll never prevent any.”
Colton’s Crew
Colton Ayscue would have turned 22 on Nov. 12, 2011, the day of the Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Photo by Leanora Minai. Dozens walked in memory of Colton Ayscue, who died May 5, 2011. Friends and family wore gold Burger King crowns and T-shirts that read “Colton’s Crew” on the back, “Forever In Our Hearts” on the front. Even his dog, Basil, joined the walk. Colton played baseball at Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School. During the last game of his high school career, he covered third base, pitched and played catcher all in a single inning. He also hit a home run that day. A graduate of North Carolina State University Agricultural Institute, he worked as a golf course maintenance assistant with the Methodist University Professional Golf Management program in Fayetteville. He was taking classes toward a business degree. “Every time you saw him, he had a smile on his face,” said his father, Steve Ayscue. “That’s what everybody keeps putting on Facebook. They want to see it one more time.” But Colton missed his brother, who was in the military, and was having a tough time with the end of a relationship, family said. Last year, Colton was diagnosed with depression. He would have turned 22 on Saturday, the day of the walk.
Remembering Cameron
Carolyn Zahnow positions a note for her son, Cameron, on a tree. "Miss you more than words," she wrote. Photo by Leanora Minai.Carolyn Zahnow is founder and facilitator of Wake Forest Survivors of Suicide, one of four support groups in the Triangle area. In addition to leading the support group, she is the author of “Save The Teens: Preventing Suicide, Depression and Addiction.” When she's not working as a communications manager for a non-profit in Raleigh, she works to prevent suicide and break down the stigma. “When survivors lose someone to suicide, we’re sometimes afraid to tell people,” she said. Her son, Cameron, was a graphic artist who wrote and took photos. Cameron's father died when he was 15. “That’s when his depression kicked in,” she said. Cameron eventually became addicted to meth. He took his life on Aug. 11, 2005, at age 18. “They get so deep and depressed like in a really dark hole,” Zahnow said. “You get that deep in it, and you don’t think about asking anybody for help. They have so many days like that.”
For resources, and to get involved, please contact the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To make a donation to help the Wake Forest walkers reach their $10,000 goal by Dec. 31, visit their Out of the Darkness Community Walk website.