My name is Dawn Hunter and this is my story:
In January 2008, I lost my 19-year-old son Justin, to suicide. As the initial shock wore off, I started searching for others that had walked this path. As a parent, my worst fear had been realized and I needed to find others that knew how I felt and had lived through the devastation. The community resources were limited.
I came across a pamphlet for an "Out of the Darkness" walk in Tempe that was being held in December 2008. I formed a team, "The Jaywalkers" and enlisted family and friends to raise money to support a future Arizona Chapter. As I stood in a crowd of over 800 people who had been touched by suicide, I realized that I wanted to make a difference. Could I prevent just one mother from having to live through this experience? Am I willing to try? My answer is "YES".
The death of my son will not be the final statement in his life. Through this loss, I am committed to bringing suicide education and awareness programs to the community through an Arizona Chapter to attain the following:
- Offer hope and resources to those who may feel that suicide is an option.
- To provide,at a local level, the national AFSP programs to educators, counselors, parents, and community leaders who interact with our at risk population.
I realized that I can't do this alone. I need your help. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact me. At the top of each page is a Contact Us form and I will reply as quickly as time permits!
Sincerely,
Dawn Hunter
"Who better to soften the wound of another than he who has suffered the wound himself?" Thomas Jefferson