Tears were shed and warm embraces were exchanged at the Ashe County Courthouse Sunday afternoon as survivors of loved ones who lost their lives to suicide gathered for the Sunshine Sunday Candlelight Vigil shortly before dusk.

The vigil, which was the closing event for Sunshine Sunday, began in the rotunda of the courthouse open foyer. Sunshine Sunday was organized by the Ashe Suicide/Depression Awareness and Prevention Task Force as a way to promote awareness concerning the threat that depression poses to locals and the effects it can havoc on family members. Ashe County currently has one of the highest suicide rates per capita in the state.

Earlier that day, mental health advocates and speakers canvassed county churches to distribute information concerning depression and suicide. Some of that material referenced biblical scriptures on depression.

The candlelight vigil was the culmination of the day’s earlier events. It allowed survivors to exchange stories of their experiences with dealing with the lost of loved ones. Most of the vigil’s speakers commented on the stigma that is prevalent when dealing with suicide.

One central theme that was driven home during Sunday’s vigil was the importance of expressing and sharing the grief of losing loved ones to suicide.

“I speak on behalf of all survivors is what brings us together here is our shared grief,” survivor Sherry Goodman said. Goodman was the mother of 17-year-old Brandon Rinehart, who took his life in March 2008. He would have graduated from Ashe County High School that same spring and passed away exactly two weeks before his 18th birthday. Since Rinehart’s passing, Goodman has worked to promote depression and suicide awareness through events similar to Sunshine Sunday and support groups.

A “Remembrance Table” was set-up adjacent to the rotunda’s staircase to allow family members to leave small mementoes and pictures of those who lost their battle with depression or took their own lives.

Goodman placed a white Husky football jersey directly below a picture of her son. A black cap and gown was also placed next to Rinehart’s temporary monument. His picture was joined by others who lost their lives to suicide. Some of those who passed were teenaged males at the time of their passing while others were middle-aged. All of Sunday’s shared stories were about males who committed suicide. Local mental health officials have stated before that males are more likely to take their own lives as opposed to females.

ASAP Task Force member Phillip Cole expressed the importance of sharing stories of lost loved ones and openly grieving. Most of those who did share their personal accounts struggled to hold back tears during the open floor time. Others cried openly, often with the support of a friend or family member’s shoulder.

Patty Eiche, a survivor of Wilkes County, also spoke briefly during the vigil. She provided her personal account of suicide and information on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Eiche expressed interest in bringing her own suicide and depression support group, HEARTBEAT, to Ashe County in the near future. She commended Ashe County in its effort to rid the area of both suicide and the stigma associated with it.

“You have put the forth the energy, effort and love to come together and supply the county with the all the resources necessary to make a difference and hopefully prevent even one death,” Eiche said.

Eiche stated that she would like to use the information she gathered Sunday to promote a similar awareness event to help survivors in Wilkes County, which had 8 confirmed suicides last year.

“Suicide is a horrible, unthinkable, unspeakable act but we are the ones who are left behind. Every 16 seconds when someone in the United States commits suicide there is someone who is left behind,” Eiche said.

Following the open sharing period, survivors gathered at the courthouse’s main steps as the sun set behind Mt. Jefferson to pause momentarily to reflect on the lives which are lost to suicide. One by one, candles were lit and passed on to another survivor.

For more information on suicide and depression awareness, visit www.afsp.org. A local phone line has been set up to help those dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide and it will allow callers to be put in touch with a trained professional. The crisis number in Ashe is 246-HEAL.