CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — September is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention month. This event was the 6th annual walk honoring Cristian Gabriel Rodriguez, who died by suicide in 2018. Those who lost someone or were affected in some way by a suicide were encouraged to attend.
Registration kicked off at 8:30 a.m., and the walk started around 9:30 a.m. Cristian's mother, Christine Martinez spoke about her experience losing her son.
Del Mar College counseling services, Family Counseling Services, Inc. and Community and Schools for CCISD all spoke offering their resources.
Walkers were encouraged to wear a #CrisHope T-shirt, bring a “I walk in honor/Memory of...” Sign, and to stop take a photo with the signage “Walk for Cristian” display.
Tables were set up giving out community bags, which included information on suicide awareness, numbers to call in times of crisis, hope cards and wristbands with the phrase "YOUR STORY MATTERS"
”I’d say keep an open mind as far as being receptive to education about it, to prevent it," Christine Martinez said. "There’s no shame in asking for help, and we want to make it okay. That’s why we put this walk together. We walk in honor of my son. We invite the community. We invite speakers to give information. So that people are educated, and given that awareness."
The event was free to attend but donations were also accepted. The donations benefit The Cristian Gabriel Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship Fund in collaboration with The Coastal Bend Community Foundation and The Cris’Hope Foundation.
If you missed the event, but would like to donate you can donate at the links here:
- Paypal
- CBCFoundation.org
- Cashapp: $Cris238
