SUN VIDEO: Suicide Vigil Reminds All to Have Each Other’s Backs

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – A candlelight vigil at Livingston County Mental Health Services will remind all to connect, communicate and care on Thursday, World Suicide Prevention Day.

Lynne Mignemi, a founding member of the Livingston County Suicide Prevention Task Force, chose to appear on camera at the Oak Tree 5K and Half Marathon to emphasize the importance of physical activity in staying mentally healthy.

Livingston County’s suicide rate is still one of the highest in the region. The theme of this year’s World Suicide Prevention Day is ‘connect, communicate, care.’

“These three words are at the heart of suicide prevention,” said a press release from the Genesee Valley Health Partnership. “It has been said that humans need a sense of belonging and connectedness in order to survive. Social connectedness reduces the risk of suicide while communication reduces the stigma that may allow individuals to seek out help without the risk of shame or judgment. Finally, all the connecting and communicating will have no effect without the final ingredient, care. That means care for others and care for ourselves.”