Stop Suicide. Run For Life.

I lost someone to suicide, and I don’t want to lose any more.

Each day, 130 people die by suicide in the U.S. alone. In 2020, 45,979 lives were lost to it. It is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States, and the #2 leading cause among college students.

6 months ago to the day, the world lost a beautiful soul to suicide. Her name was Katie Meyer. Everyone in the soccer world knows who she is: The Stanford standout who led the school to victory in the 2019 NCAA College Cup by saving two penalties in badass fashion. 

Katie wasn’t just an athlete; She was a daughter, a sister, a friend. A human being with the same human emotions as the rest of us. She was someone I grew up playing against, who I admired and respected more than she will ever know. Despite her high social status, she wasn’t immune to any of the lows the rest of the population faces. The day she passed away is a day that will forever solidify that sad truth in our minds.

Today marks the beginning of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This year, I want to do something to help create change directly. 

I am partnering with Kronis to raise money for Katie’s Save, pledging to run 130 miles in 30 days to commemorate the 130 souls lost each day to suicide. Katie’s Save’s mission statement is listed in the post above, but its ultimate goal is to implement policy changes that will ultimately provide resources/safety plans to prevent future unnecessary tragedies from happening to college students.

Our goal is to raise $1,300 within these 30 days. I humbly ask you to consider donating to this campaign. Your donation will assist the organization’s efforts to implement policies nationwide & increase access to mental health resources to aid in their fight against suicide. 

No minimum donation is required, and each dollar makes a difference. Mileage and donation progress can be tracked daily on Instagram @swimsvl.

Let’s create change, one mile at a time.

Run for Life.

LEARN MORE ABOUT KATIE'S SAVE HERE: https://www.katiessave.org

UPDATE FROM GOFUNDME: According to a terms and conditions rule I overlooked, in order to keep the fundraiser active, I must mention that "no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or promotions are offered in exchange for any donations made to your GoFundMe". Contact me if you have any questions. Thanks!