Mother plans suicide awareness walk in Cordele

CORDELE — Out of a mother’s pain has evolved a plan to bring awareness to a growing tragic problem.

Every seven hours someone dies by suicide in the state of Georgia. In 2016, Georgia lost 1,409 people to suicide, which is now the 11th-leading cause of death in the state.

Brandon Jacobs, became a part of those alarming statistics in 2016. But to the people who knew and loved him, he was far more than a statistic, far more than just another young person who took his own life. He was a son, a brother, a 20-year-old with plans for the future.

According to Jacobs’ mother, Becky Vaughn, he was “a happy-go-lucky” young man who did not appear to have problems or issues that would lead to such a tragic end.

“We never imagined this would happen,” Vaughn said. “He never talked about having those thoughts.”

The heartbroken mother has worked with the city of Cordele to plan the first Suicide Awareness Walk March 17 at the Crisp County Recreation Department. The event will begin at 9 a.m. and will continue “until the last person leaves,” Vaughn said.

Since her son’s death, Vaughn said she has become aware in recent years of other parents in Southwest Georgia who have also lost their children to suicide or unexplained deaths.

“There are three in Cordele and Crisp County that I am aware of,” Vaughn said. “It’s a problem no one is talking about.”

Vaughn said she had lunch a few days ago with another mother who lost her 30-year-old son.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 25 and 34, the third-leading cause of death for ages 10-24, and the fourth-leading cause of death for ages 35-54. Nearly twice as many people die by suicide in Georgia annually than by homicide.

In 2017, the number of suicides in the U.S. was 44,193 — about 122 suicides per day. Firearms accounted for 51 percent of those deaths.

“This is a huge problem, a problem nobody wants to talk about,” Vaughn said.

Vaughn said it wasn’t too long after her son’s death that she began talking to others about finding a way to create awareness so that others, especially young people, would not be afraid or ashamed to talk about suicide.

“I know this is a growing problem across the country and locally especially, when it comes to young adults and teenagers,” she said. “I have another son in school, and other kids picked on him after his brother died. I don’t understand it. Last October, the whole high school football team wore pink for breast cancer awareness, but that’s something teens almost never have to deal with. Teens are being confronted with suicide — just look at the statistics.”

Vaughn started a Facebook page called “Nobody Walks Alone,” and out of that social networking effort she soon came up with the idea to host an awareness walk. After talking it over with the Cordele-Crisp County Chamber of Commerce and gaining their support, plans to hold the event got underway last November.

This first year the walk will be held in memory of Brandon Jacobs, and the event will honor a different person each year following.

Participants in the walk will not have to pay an entry fee, Vaughn said. Her main goal is to raise awareness about the epidemic sweeping our country.

“Most walks of this sort are to raise funds for suicide prevention, but our walk is simply to create awareness,” she said. “I didn’t want to charge money because I want teenagers to come out and participate.”

Throughout the planning of the event, Vaughn said her faith and drive to get people thinking and talking about suicide kept her focused.

She referenced the Bible’s Joshua 1:9 which reads: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” She said that verse kept her focused as she planned the suicide awareness walk.

“The message of the event is important, that no matter who you are, or wherever you are out there, you are not alone,” Vaughn said. “It is my greatest hope that this will let others know it is OK to talk about this — maybe then there can be some prevention.”

Organizers say sponsorships are needed to cover the cost of the event. Sponsor forms are available by contacting the Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce at (229) 273-1668 or email [email protected].

For more information on the event or to volunteer, contact Vaughn at (229) 322-3312 or Monica Simmons (229) 273-1668.