Rather than baseballs and hot dogs, the Bowling Green Ballpark was full of beads and solidarity on Sept. 14 in support of the Out of the Darkness Walk. 

The walk, one of eight across Kentucky, aims to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This nationwide organization spreads awareness on mental health struggles, especially during September, which is National Suicide Prevention Month. 

Raising money is not the only goal of the BG Out of the Darkness Walk. With over 400 participants from Bowling Green and the surrounding areas, the largest Bowling Green walk to date, participants gathered together for the 14th annual walk to grieve and celebrate lost loved ones together. 

“I’ve heard that so many times, like we just grew up never talking about (suicide),” said Katelyn Simpson, chair of the Bowling Green Out of the Darkness Walk. “And I feel like now people are really realizing, like we can talk about it, we don’t need to be ashamed about it. This is someone we loved.” 

Simpson, who lost her brother 20 years ago to suicide, is also the person who brought the walk to Bowling Green after attending several walks in Louisville. 

The Hot Rods stadium was full of participants talking with tables representing local mental health resources, and engaging with some of the walk’s traditions. 

Walkers wear colorful beaded necklaces to represent their reasons for participating. Red represents the loss of a spouse or partner, and teal stands for supporting a struggling loved one. 

Chris Booker, a committee member of the Bowling Green Out of the Darkness Walk, said he wears gold beads to represent the loss of his father from suicide in 2016, as well as green for his personal battle with suicide. 

“I really love seeing people get those green beads,” Booker said.

“Because to me…you’re speaking on your mental health, you’re speaking on the issues you’ve got going on, and then seeing others around you that have gone through that just let you know you’re not alone,” Booker continued.

In addition to the necklaces, each participant was encouraged to pour sand of the colors for their reasons into a jar, creating a communal art piece displaying the stories behind each walker. 

Before beginning the lap around the stadium, organizers took time to spread awareness on available resources, as well as tell their purpose for attending the walk. They also called attention to the 809 blocked off seats in the stadium, representing the 809 Kentuckians who died via a suicide attempt in 2024. 

Though the walk can be a sad time to grieve the loss of a loved one, many take the opportunity to build community and show support to prevent more deaths. Alicia Jones is a 4-year veteran of the walk who wears white to represent the loss of her son in March 2020. She said the growing community dealing with the aftermath of suicide is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

The Out of the Darkness Walk has even made a mark on WKU, with the campus’s chapter of ASFP organizing a walk around campus similar to the one at the stadium. 

“Through (the Bowling Green) walks and the outreach that they bring, I’ve joined the club, and now I help with the volunteering for the on campus walk in the spring,” said junior Jeri Ireland, Delta Zeta’s Risk Prevention chair.

This year’s walk raised over $22,000, more than doubling the set goal of $10,000, to provide funding for research and resources to prevent suicide across the nation.

“Every year, I meet someone new and become either friends on Facebook with them, or we share phone numbers and we talk throughout the year,” Jones said. “I’m always meeting people here and I feel like it helps me get through it, and hopefully, I help them get through things, too.” 

If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, call or text the 24-hour mental health and suicide prevention crisis line 988. 

“You don’t have to know the answer to everything,” Booker said. “You just got to know who does.”