A MESSAGE FROM Alexander (AJ) Runs For Suicide Prevention
Hi there! Welcome to my donation page, you may be wondering why I'm running the NYC Marathon for Suicide Prevention, let alone why I would do such a thing a second time! On May 1st, 2017, my best friend in the world died by suicide succumbing to self-inflicted wounds in the hospital. I stayed by his side for the 30 hours he was in that hospital room hoping more than anything that we would get to adventure and do amazing things together once he recovered. Kyle Andrew James Barrett Edwards passed away that night, and I was lost in the darkest period of grief and anguish I've ever experienced.
Kyle was the bright and shining light in the life of every person that knew him, and without him I didn't believe I would ever find happiness again. I fell into despair and found myself unsure of what the rest of my life would hold. It hurts to write about this time in my life and it hurts to relive those experiences, but over time I've found that exposing the painful and vulnerable periods of my life have given others encouragement to open up about the grief they're experiencing. More people than I ever previously imagined are dealing with the loss of a loved one to suicide, and if sharing my experiences can help even one person, I know that Kyle would be proud of me. I'll continue to advocate for suicide prevention for my entire life, running the NYC marathon was something Kyle and I planned to do together, and it took me almost 3 years to achieve that goal for both of us.
Now I see more and more of the people close to me being affected by suicide as the world has dealt with the collected trauma of the COVID pandemic and the hardships it has imposed on all of us. If I can do some small part to give people strength in their time of need, to help them find resources they didn't know existed, or to be a listening ear to empathize with, I'll do it. I'll do whatever I can, because that's what Kyle would have done.
