OPINION: The Lara Teague Curry Memorial 5K shines light on September as Suicide Prevention Month

By Bill Pike, Special to the Citizen

The worst day of my in-law’s lives was the day they received notification that their oldest daughter, Susan, had died from death by suicide. Their hearts were crushed. I’m certain their hearts never recovered.

As my wife’s family attempted to work through this tragedy, they learned very quickly — they were not alone. Longtime friends, neighbors, and strangers shared their stories about losing loved ones to death by suicide.

In my career in public education, I experienced those heartbreaking losses. Sometimes, we lost a student, a parent, or a co-worker. Predictably, we never saw this tragedy coming. A person can appear normal. Beyond the appearance is a relentless battle, a battle with a darkness that never stops its pursuit.

Lara Teague Curry was a neighbor. We watched her grow up with our kids — school activities, birthdays, neighborhood celebrations, beach trips, college, career, marriage, and children all the normal steps of life’s journey. Yet, over time, the good of life begins to slip, and the struggle begins.

Hindsight makes us think deeply. We remember, we question, we reflect, and we all have the same thought — if I had only.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. It is an important reminder to us all that suicide is preventable.

On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Lara Teague Curry Memorial 5K will be run at Trinity United Methodist Church. A Kids Fun Run starts at 8 a.m. followed by the 5K at 8:30. This year, our team from Trinity, Third Church, St. Stephen’s Episcopal, Douglas Freeman High School, and the Henrico Education Foundation have been working diligently to ensure that we have a safe, enjoyable, and educational event.

The course winds through sections of three Henrico County neighborhoods: Rollingwood, College Hills, and Westham. County police officers will be monitoring traffic. This will be supplemented by volunteers.

We will have activities for kids, and a special guest, Jonathan The Juggler. Jonathan will be in the start area prior to the beginning of the event. He will be entertaining and getting participants excited for the Kids Fun Run and the 5K.

Knowing how important our mental health is for our trek through life, we will have representatives from organizations on site who work to help us with the ups and downs of living. These representatives will provide information about their programs that are designed to help individuals and their families.

This year, our representatives are from Henrico Area Mental Health and Developmental Services, Comfort Zone Camp, Pet Partners of Richmond, Full Circle Grief Center, Renewing RVA, and American Foundation For Suicide Prevention.

Retired Henrico County Public Schools counselor, Shirley Ramsey, is the Education Committee Chair in Virginia for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

When asked about the work of AFSP, Mrs. Ramsey said: “AFSP is the largest national not-for-profit voluntary health organization dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. We raise funds for research, awareness and suicide prevention programming, advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death, and support for survivors of suicide loss.”

At various points along the course, the planners will have yard signs posted with quotes of encouragement. These quotes were chosen to make us think about our daily interactions with each other.

Back this year for every participant are the green wristbands with the boldly printed words: “Be Kind.” This is a gentle reminder about the importance to treat people with kindness.

When the 5K is completed, we encourage all participants to stay for the raffle. Local merchants have donated prizes as a way to say thank you for participating. Each participant’s bib number is entered into the raffle drawing. The only requirement is this: if your bib number is selected, you must be present to pickup your prize.

Thanks to those participants, all 5K proceeds support the Lara Teague Curry Memorial Scholarship Fund at Douglas Freeman High School. The Curry and Teague families in working with the Henrico Education Foundation hope this scholarship will help students continue their education experiences.

Mrs. Curry’s mother, Barbara Teague, offered this reflection about the memorial fund: “Our daughter was very passionate about educating young people. When she died, we loved the suggestion of a memorial fund through the Henrico Education Foundation. This fund will directly benefit Henrico County Public School students for years to come.”

We hope you will consider coming out on Sept. 14 to walk, run, volunteer, or cheer. Doing so would be a good way to reaffirm and continue what Douglas Freeman Principal, Dr. John Marshall, remembers about Mrs. Curry: “When you ask high school students who their favorite teacher is, it is almost always the teacher with the biggest personality or that teaches a unique elective class. Neither of those described Lara, yet Mrs. Curry was regularly and remarkably mentioned as so many of our students’ favorite teacher, because she cared so much about every student and her role as their teacher.”

Back in August on a Sunday morning at Trinity, I heard Matthew Estes, a graduate from the Freeman Class of 2024, and a runner on the cross country team make this comment about the route of the 5K: “It’s a tough course.”

I think Matthew’s assessment was correct. The course has flat straightaways, curves, and hills.

Yet, if we are honest with ourselves, life can be a tough course too. Our day to day living isn’t always a flat, straight stretch free of trouble.

And that is why we need to gently remind ourselves to “be kind and to care.”

Maybe Ted Lasso said it best in the episode where Rebecca offers him an apology: “You know I think that if you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothing you can’t get through together.”

September is suicide prevention month.

We have work to do together.

We need to stop crushing hearts.

See you Sept. 14.

For details about the Lara Teague Curry 5k or to register, click here.

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Bill Pike is a former member of the Henrico Citizen Advisory Board, a former member of the Henrico School Board and a retired longtime Henrico principal and educator.