How Sioux Falls recognizes Suicide Prevention Month
Four of Fabre Sullivan’s siblings have died by suicide.
Their names matter: Cory died in 1999. He was 27 years old. Candi died in 2010 at 43 years old. Chad died in 2019 at 51 years old. After her sister Samantha died in 2022 at 35 years old, Sullivan spoke up.
Today, the sibling among seven and now 35-year-old mother of six helms the South Dakota chapter of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and will host the 15th annual Out of the Darkness Walk this month.
“A simple conversation can save a person’s life,” says Sullivan, who expects to gather more than 1,000 people Sept. 13 at Fawick Park.
There will also be community walks Sept. 6 in Aberdeen and Sept. 20 in Belle Fourche.
“I want to be the person in my community to start that conversation,” Sullivan says.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month, an oath to be there for families, friends and community members who might be struggling. Sept. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.
And the world needs to reduce the stigma, not hide from it, Sullivan says. The walk is part of a nationwide effort to support those who have experienced suicide in some way and to provide reassurance for someone who feels alone.
There are more than 550 walks nationwide, which last year alone raised $21 million. The South Dakota chapter raised $60,000 in 2024 and has already put $30,000 toward their $90,000 goal this year.
By the numbers
The American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) reported that 1.5 million people attempted suicide in 2023, and an estimated 12.8 million adults reported having thoughts of suicide.
With the help of crucial fundraising efforts, like the Out of the Darkness Walk, Sullivan says the AFSP can invest in research, programming, public policy changes and support services.
“The research has shown us how to fight suicide,” says AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. “If we keep up the fight, the science is only going to get better, and our culture will get smarter about mental health.”
Earlier this year, Sullivan traveled to Pierre for “eye-opening” State Capitol Day events on behalf of AFSP, advocating for the 988 suicide and crisis hotline and improved coverage for mental health.
But according to South Dakota Searchlight, a report released last month showed “significant slashes” to staff and funding for federal agencies offering mental health support.
Today, only a dozen states have offices or state coordinators focused on suicide prevention. That excludes South Dakota, which saw 192 deaths by suicide in 2024. There were nearly 50,000 nationwide – an average of 135 suicide deaths per day.
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control reported that, according to federal guidelines, 67% of communities nationwide did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents.
How to get involved in Sioux Falls
Sullivan is all over town. She and her committee members have set up resource tables at restaurant fundraisers, car shows, neighborhood block parties, mental health awareness events, basketball tournaments and last month hosted an open mat jiu jitsu fundraiser for AFSP.
But she is not singular. From Sept. 25-28, there’ll be a dozen well-known community members, like Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, running across the state to support suicide prevention.
Beginning in Rapid City, and making stops in Pierre and Mitchell before finishing up in Sioux Falls, the 437 Project will complete a relay-style journey to raise money for The Helpline Center’s suicide crisis programming.
Helpline’s CEO Janet Kittams says the partnership with The 437 Project allows them to host an annual speaker series, welcoming this year TV and movie actor Sean Astin.
Astin, well-known from “The Goonies,” “Stranger Things," "Lord of the Rings" or “Rudy,” grew up with a mother who had bipolar disorder and now advocates for mental health support programs and awareness.
“The draw is to come and see him, but the message is what’s most important to me,” Kittams says. “People will walk out that night knowing there is help, there is hope and it’s OK to talk about mental health.”
Sullivan says many people worry that talking about suicide would “just put the idea into people’s minds, but that could not be further from the truth,” she says.
“The more we talk about it, the more we recognize those signs in ourselves and others and create a safe space for getting help,” Sullivan says.
To participate in awareness efforts, Helpline COO Amy Carter says the community is welcome to pick up yard signs at the Helpline offices for free. Her team also partnered with nonprofit Lost&Found and the Sioux Empire Suicide Prevention Task Force to place magnetic ribbons on more than 80 Sioux Falls Police Department patrol vehicles this month, a pilot endeavor that also will mark over 500 patrol vehicles statewide.
More than half of suicides in SD were by firearms
Suicide is a “public health crisis” and the 11th leading cause of death in the U.S.
According to the CDC, it was the ninth leading cause of death in South Dakota in 2023 and the second leading cause of death specifically for ages 10 to 34.
In the same year, 181 people died by suicide in the state.
Sullivan says the mission of the AFSP is to “save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide,” with the goal to reduce the nation’s annual rate of suicide by 20%.
The latest rate recorded was 14.1 deaths per 100,000 in 2023, the highest it’s been in 10 years.
Sullivan says her hope every day is to keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss.
“I miss my siblings dearly and remember how I felt the exact moment each time finding out they had passed,” Sullivan says. “This is why I am in the fight to prevent suicide.”
