We will be joining with thousands of people nationwide Saturday, September 13th, in Santa Monica to walk in AFSP’s 2008 Out of the Darkness Community Walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Team Suzy’s Law would appreciate any support that you give us for this worthwhile cause.

After our wonderful, beautiful daughter, Suzy Gonzales’s hidden battle with depression, our family lost a daughter, sister, cousin, niece, and friend in March of 2003 to suicide. A life is lost to suicide every 16 minutes in the United States. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among fifteen to twenty-four year olds and the second leading cause of death among college students. However, most Americans remain unaware that suicide is a national health problem. The impact suicide has on the lives of family members, friends, co-workers and the community is devastating. The loss of human potential is enormous.

We are all forever changed by this tragic event. My hope is that through education and awareness, those suffering with a mental illness will be prompted to seek help. Funds from this event will fund education and research programs for those who suffer from mental disorders, or who have lost a loved one to suicide erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, and encourage those who are suffering from mental illness to see treatment. Last year, the community walks raised over $2.5 million. This year, our goal is $3.5 million.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is at the forefront of research, education and prevention initiatives designed to reduce loss of life from suicide. With more than 32,000 lives lost each year in the U.S. and over one million worldwide, the importance of AFSP’s mission has never been greater, nor our work more urgent.

I hope you will consider supporting my participation in this event. Any contribution will help the work of AFSP, and all donations are 100% tax deductible.

Donating online is safe and easy! To make an online donation please search for my name on www.outofthedarkness.org and the click “support this participant”. If you would rather donate by check please make the check out to AFSP and mail it in with the offline donation form.

Thank you for considering this request for your support. If you have any questions about the Out of the Darkness Community Walks or AFSP do not hesitate to contact me or visit www.afsp.org

Sincerely,

Mary Gonzales

The people that went:

-Mike Gonzales

-Mary Gonzales

-Malcolm Kahl, friend and lawyer from Florida

-Rick Townsend, a new friend and father from North Dakota, who lost his 21 year old daughter, Julie, to suicide in 2001. When Julie was found, her computer was on the same site Suzy went to, playing the music “Suicide is Painless”.

-Carol Barsotti, Chico Field Representative for Congressman Herger

We are all in agreement that the trip was far more successful than any of us expected.

Mary and I arrived in DC on Monday evening, July 21 after a very long flight.

On Tuesday morning, July 22, Mary and I went to the offices of the Washington Times where we were interviewed by a reporter for about 2 hours. They also video taped the interview. They ran the story on Thursday, July 24 on the front page. They also had the story on their online site along with a 3 1/2 minute video of the interview.

The real fun started on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. All five of us walked the halls of Congress and Senate offices and buildings from early morning to evening. In all, we had visited 40 Congressional and Senate offices. We met with some Representatives or Senators but mainly with their judicial legal assistants who deal with such matters. The majority of the people we spoke to were shocked at what had happened, that it is still happening and that there are no current laws that deal with these situations. They really listened to us when I told them what happened to Suzy and when Rick told of what happened to his daughter. It made several of the people we met get teary eyed. A common statement heard was that they had never heard of this before or that pro suicide groups existed on the Internet. A lot of the people we met were not really aware of HR 940 and what it is intended for. At each meeting we left an informational packet that contained information on what happened to Suzy, a copy of HR 940, questions and answers about the bill, a copy of the Congressional Research Service report about the constitutionality of the bill, a letter of support from Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE), and copies of the San Francisco Gate Chronicle and Oprah articles. We also left with them several red and white polka dot support ribbons along with a bag of red and white M&M’s that were imprinted with “Suzys Law” or “HR 940″. I can say that after all of our meetings we greatly increased the awareness of HR 940 with members of our government.

We were also supported by a national board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Her name is Gail Griffith and she met with us for several hours on Thursday. She went with us to congressional offices as well. It was great to have her there and for all the support that the AFSP has given us. We also have to thank the SAVE organization for their letter of support.

While walking the hallways, we were again supported by the many citizens asking us what our polka dot ribbons were for. When we explained what happened and why we were there, they asked if they could wear ribbons to support us. Many people said they were going to see their Representatives to spread the word about the bill. Now that is real support!

While we were in DC we had a chance to make contact with the Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN) and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), both highly respected suicide prevention organizations.

We were able to gain 3 additional co-sponsors for the bill, and the assurance that many more members of Congress are now aware of HR 940 and the reasons behind it.

Again I have to personally thank Malcolm Kahl and Rick Townsend for taking the time and bearing the expense to fly to Washington DC and help support the bill. We are forever grateful to them.

We also have to thank Congressman Herger for all the help and support he has given us, for authoring HR 940 and for being a really compassionate man. We are also very grateful to Herger’s Field Representative, Carol. Without her knowledge of Capital Hill, we would have been forever lost trying to find the right offices in the multitude of government buildings.

Again this was a very successful trip to bring awareness of HR 940 and the compelling reasons for its support to members of our government.

PLEASE contact as many people and Congressional leaders as possible NOW, so that when Mike and Mary arrive in DC for their meetings with these individuals, they will be well educated about H.R. 940 and the importance of making it a law. We need all your help and support in this next month, so please (as always), spread the word about what we’re doing and why. If you have any questions, please contact us. We thank you for your continued support, and always look forward to hearing from you.

Please check back after the first of the year for more updates on the bill. Thanks for your continued support, and best wishes for the new year.

The morning segment began bright and early with very well received talks given by professors specializing in psychiatry, who focused on bipolar disorders and depression, and how these conditions relate to suicide. During the lunch break of the conference, Mike and Mary gave a brief speech about their daughter Suzanne, which included information about H.R 940 and what they are doing to get this bill passed into law. The two were recognized for their hard work and dedication put forth on behalf of their daughter, and received the AFSP “Public Service Information Award” in recognition of their leadership in support of “National Legislation for Suicide Prevention” for their local AFSP chapter. Visible shock and disbelief were seen on the faces of those listening to Suzy’s story. On a positive note, it also triggered many people to volunteer their help in spreading the word about H.R. 940, which is just what we need!

The emotional day continued with afternoon breakout sessions for professionals, and then survivors were broken into groups based on their loss. The categories included: parent, child, sibling and friend. This aspect of the day was the most emotionally draining for The Gonzales’, as individuals in each group shared how their loved one had passed away. Sadly, 5 out of the 15 parents in Mike and Mary’s group indicated their child’s suicide was linked to internet activity.

The day concluded with a ceremony for all the survivors, where each person was given the opportunity to mention the name of the person they were there to reflect on and remember. During this time, poems were read, songs were played, and hundreds of tissues circulated the crowd. This conference was a huge success on many levels, and for that we are thankful.

For those of you who want to help, please spread the word about Suzy’s story and H.R. 940. You can do this by using the “contact your Representative” and “tell a friend” links on this page. Don’t forget to check back with us often for updates and news!

You may also search and register for a conference in your area by visiting www.afsp.org. If you are unable to attend a conference, join us live from 1:00-2:30 pm Eastern Time for a live broadcast of the event on the web at www.afsp.org, followed by a live chat.

Mike and Mary Gonzales will be attending the AFSP conference at UCLA, where they will be awarded the National Service Award for their hard work and dedication put forth on behalf of their daughter Suzanne, and H.R. 940.

Please check back for a full recap of Saturday’s events, and as always, thanks for your support.

But the time comes now for the Members to turn their attention to another group who are disproportionately affected by suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 15 and 24. Suicide claims the lives of more young people than cancer, the flu, pneumonia, diabetes and diseases of the heart and lungs combined.

America has a responsibility to our veterans, who have sacrificed much for us. But we also have a responsibility to young people. We have a responsibility to protect them from those who, out of malice or depraved indifference to human life, would prey upon them.

Congress has a responsibility to pass the Suzanne Gonzales Suicide Prevention Act.

Call your Representatives today and urge them to co-sponsor H.R. 940.

But sometimes a shocking event serves to remind us that working for this cause is, in a way, something of a luxury.

According to news reports, at least 124 people were killed Thursday in Karachi, Pakistan, in what was apparently a suicide attack.

It’s unclear what the motive was for the attack, or who was responsible for it. It’s also unclear exactly how the attack was carried out; some reports say it was a single suicide bomber, while others claim there were at least two bombs detonated simultaneously.

The only thing that’s certain at this hour is that the violence of the attack was staggering.

Our hearts go out tonight to the victims of this heinous act.