- Families and community members gathered at the Benavides City Park for the first Suicide Prevention and Awareness event.
- Families and guest speakers spoke about the importance of asking for help and talking about suicide.
A somber gathering in Benavides joins neighbors who have dealt with suicide in grief and support. Families from Duval County and surrounding communities gathered Tuesday, September 10th, to support each other through the journey of losing their loved ones to suicide at the Benavides City Park for the first Suicide Prevention Awareness Event in town.
Brittany Hernandez of Realitos and her family understand what suicide does to a family.
“Unfortunately, our family has gone through it twice already. It messes up everybody emotionally,” said Brittany Hernandez, who lost her mother and brother to suicide.
At the age of nine, Hernandez dealt with her mother’s suicide. Then, last year, Hernandez lost her brother in the same manner. Her family sought therapy for their grief.
Hernandez’s mother, Jennifer Salinas’ passing, left a void in the family, but, Hernandez said because of family support her and her brothers got through. Yet, she relieved that pain when her baby brother, Trino Sanchez, took his life.
Leaving nothing but memories and pictures. Hernandez and other families shared those memories at Benavides’ Suicide Prevention and Awareness Event.
Freer native, Ashley Garcia, left her mom’s world too soon. In 2017, Garcia’s mom, Christine Pena said, her loving and kind daughter was gone in an instant, changing everything.
“We try to keep her name and her picture up for everyone to see. We talk about her very often. We are her voice. And we just try to get the message out there that if you need to talk to someone, find someone to talk to. You’re not alone,” Pena said.
Talking about suicide, especially in rural areas like Benavides doesn’t happen much. This event gave families that chance with several important messages to their neighbors.
Message one from Garcia’s aunt, Elvia Lerma, “Whenever they take their lives - we’re the ones that have to live with it for the rest of our lives.”
Another message, from Hernandez, “It’s a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”
These families say suicide is a difficult topic to discuss but talking is important to break the silence and the cycle.
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
