A flurry of bubbles filled the air above Albert “Ray” Massey Park on Saturday morning. They drifted over the crowd, catching the light as families, friends and area residents gathered for Gainesville’s Out of the Darkness suicide prevention walk.
The Gainesville walk, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), drew 234 participants, according to the event’s fundraising page. The event had raised $18,986 through 178 donations as of about noon Saturday.
Many participants wore colorful beads around their necks. Each color represented a different connection to suicide and mental health.
Around 10 a.m., the crowd gathered to hear from speakers before beginning the walk. Candi Morris, the event organizer, raised a handful of colorful beads as she spoke.
“As we stand together, each bead that we clutch is a story, a memory, a hope,” she said, her voice cracking.
The beads represented different experiences, including losing a loved one to suicide, struggling with mental health and supporting the LGBTQ community. Morris wore a gold bead in memory of her father, who died in 2015.
During the ceremony, Morris invited participants to hold up their beads, each color showing the different experiences represented throughout the crowd. As people raised their beads, the moment brought many to tears.
The bubbles floating above the crowd also held a deeper meaning. Bernadine Tippit, a guest speaker, compared the ripple created by a bubble to the impact suicide can have on the people left behind.
“The bubbles floating around us represent lives touched by suicide in some way,” Tippit said.
After the ceremony, music played as participants embraced one another. Event sponsors and major donors held up a banner and led the crowd on a walk around the park.
Morris said the Gainesville walk began in 2019 because the community needed one. Out of the Darkness walks are held in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Morris said approximately 350,000 people across the country were walking on Saturday. Money raised stays in the local chapter and pays for programs and education that are offered free, Morris said.
“We want to break the stigma,” Morris said. She said suicide is preventable and that the walk exists to support people who have lost someone to suicide and to remind those who have experienced suicidal thoughts are not alone.
For Micah Sachsenheimer, the walk is personal. Her friend Jackson died by suicide two years ago. Sachsenheimer usually attended a walk in her hometown, but after moving to the University of Florida for college this year, she sought out the Gainesville event. This was her third year walking.
“It’s pretty sad to know that so many people have either experienced a loss in the same way or have been impacted by it,” she said. “But it’s also so lovely to know that we can have this community.”
Sachsenheimer said she hopes people remember Jackson as a great friend and musician who made an effort to make sure others felt comfortable and happy.
Jesse Sheets, an employee at JPMorgan Chase in Gainesville, said he attended with colleagues after an employee at the company died by suicide several years ago.
Sheets said his branch manager has made an effort to bring employees to the walk each year to raise awareness about suicide prevention and the resources available when people are struggling.
“Anything we can do to raise awareness and bring more attention to it is a big help,” Sheets said.
Sofia Boom, a first-time walker, came to show people who are struggling that others are there for them. She said being surrounded by people with a shared purpose gave her a strong sense of community.
Boom said she hopes the event reminds people that although struggles with suicide may be private, many people are affected. She encouraged people to look out for their friends, family and community members, reminding them that no one has to face those struggles alone.