Youth and Young Adult Suicide Awareness Week starts Sunday in Killeen

KILLEEN, Texas (KWTX) - The most recent data shows from the CDC shows that in Texas suicide is the second leading cause of death for 15 to 34-year-olds.

Remember You Matter life coaching wants to bring attention to that statistic with “Remember You Matter Youth and Young Adult Suicide Awareness week,” which runs from Sunday through Monday, Jan. 21.

Through one of the events the City of Killeen will issue a proclamation on Tuesday at 2 p.m. The event will also feature a balloon release and prayer circle.

Then on Thursday adults and teens will run a panel to take questions related to mental health at the Endeavors Performing Art Center from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Later on Saturday the organization is hosting a walk for wellbeing and gratitude starting at 8 a.m. at the Lions Club Park Walking Track.

Killeen resident Kasaundra Hamilton is a suicide survivor.

“I made a couple of attempts,” Hamilton said. “I think the first one was at 7 or 8 and the last one was probably at 21.”

Now a mother of three, two of her own daughters have tried to end their own lives through suicide. She wants to share her and her family’s story with the community.

“We’re parents, we’re adults, we want to help,” Hamilton said. “Personally, we don’t know what they’re dealing with everyday. We don’t know what school is like, we don’t know about social media and the other pressures.”

Hamilton is just one of the panelists for the forum on Thursday. She told KWTX News 10 she also plans on attending as many events as possible throughout the week.

Elizabeth Jennings, founder of the organization Remember You Matter Life Coaching, said she started this because the holidays and New Year can be tough on a lot of teens.

“Personally someone in my son’s high school committed suicide about six months and someone at our church, a 20 year old,” she said.

Jennings said with the numbers of youth suicide increasing she knew she had to do something for the community.

“We wanted to start the year off positive and strong,” Jennings said. “We want to give them a week where there’s hope. The plan is that this won’t stop at just this week.”

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