Suicide prevention walk: Hundreds gather at Ala Moana for ‘Out of the Darkness’ event

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Mental health organizations, faith communities and families gathered Saturday at Ala Moana Regional Park to support a cause that many battle in silence.

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Messages of hope were attached to trees at Magic Island; each was handwritten and from the hearts of hundreds still grieving. They gathered in support of suicide prevention during the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hawaiʻi’s “Out of the Darkness Walk.”

Their support showed through the warmth of aloha and free hugs.

For Gina Ross and many at the walk, they’ve faced a subject often kept in the shadows.

“Healing that really just comes in waves and being able to be here, being able to write my in memory of, it absolutely just brings joy back to my heart so that I can remember those good memories,” Ross said.

Today, she honored her cousin who took his life 15 years ago, remembering the joyous person he was.

“Remembering his smile, his laughter, and he was such a joyous person,” she said.

Nearly 60 teams stepped together into the light to support prevention research, community outreach and taking one step toward healing together. For many, this is a safe space to remember loved ones lost.

Nicole Grimes lost her brother to suicide about 12 years ago.

“To come out and be able to be in the sun and in the light with everybody, just knowing that there’s support out there, and that’s the key,” she said.

For others, the walk was a place to honor their own survival.

“It’s sad for me too because I tried to attempt to take my own life a couple months ago, and it’s tearful to see so much people here supporting this cause,” said Jenny Delos Santos, a volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

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Jasper Ho said it was hard for him to imagine a future when he could hardly imagine the next morning.

“When I think back on it now, it feels kind of like waking up from a bad dream where I remember that it was bad and I remember that it was scary, but I don’t have any of that sort of visceral pain or fear anymore,” he said. “Now it’s just incredible.”

It was a morning defined by solidarity.

To help visualize the day’s theme of stepping out of the darkness, attendees carried colored beads representing various causes and united people.

Purple represented those honoring the loss of a friend or relative. Rainbow beads supported the LGBTQ+ community. White represented the loss of a son.

Tad Yamakawa, his wife Val and daughter Jaden came to the event to carry came to the walk to honor their son and brother Cody.

“We do want to carry Cody’s legacy forward, you know, if we can help others in our situation, also help prevent something like this from happening for other families as well,” Yamakawa said.

If you or someone you know is going through a tough time, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or reach Hawaiʻi CARES directly.

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