Out of the Darkness Walk returns to Hawk Island Park

A suicide prevention walk returns to Hawk Island Park in south Lansing on Sept. 19, hosted by the AFSP Michigan Chapter.

The Out of the Darkness Walk begins at 9 a.m. at the 100-acre Ingham County park, located at 1601 E. Cavanaugh Road. Liz Baker, co-chair of the Lansing walk, discussed the event on WILX's 517 Report.

The walk falls during National Suicide Prevention Month. A bipartisan congressional resolution introduced by Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Detroit, and others designated September for that recognition and marked Thursday, Sept. 10, as World Suicide Prevention Day.

How the honor beads work

Participants can pick up free colored honor beads at the event. Each color represents a different connection to the cause.

White beads mark the loss of a child. Red marks the loss of a spouse or partner. Gold honors a lost parent, orange a sibling, purple a friend or relative. Silver recognizes the loss of a first responder or military member. Green represents a personal attempt or struggle, and teal signals support for someone who has struggled or attempted. Blue is for general supporters, and rainbow beads honor the LGBTQ community.

The beads are set out on tables, and walkers choose whichever colors fit their experience.

Suicide by the numbers

Suicide claimed 48,824 American lives in 2024, according to AFSP national statistics. That was a 1% decrease from 2023. The suicide rate, though, remains 32% higher than in 2000.

The AFSP Michigan Chapter lists suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in the state. The chapter's work includes prevention programs, public education on risk factors and warning signs, and outreach to people who have lost someone to suicide.