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Taylor Richards
Jennifer Courtney
ENGL 2010
9/29/15
Suicide Prevention and The Fallen Brothers Foundation.
Suicide, which is the act of intentionally causing ones own death and Utah ranks 5th in
the nation for teen suicide. This is not a list you want to be on the top of. Suicide was the leading
cause of death for youth ages 10-17 in 2013 (Cairns). More than car accidents, which had the
lead for years. Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. It accounts for more
than 34,000 deaths a year (Ilgen).
Here in Utah there are a few foundations and programs that help raise awareness about
bullying, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. I have chosen to research suicide prevention and
the Fallen Brothers Foundation. The Fallen Brothers Foundation is a foundation started 11 years
ago by Darren and Alecia Lewis following a death of a close friend. Sadly, in 2009 the couple
lost their own son Justin, 5 days after his 18th birthday to drugs and alcohol or suicide. In 2014
The Fallen Brothers Foundation raised $30,000. This money went towards banners that were
placed in High Schools across the Salt Lake Valley with the Suicide Prevention Hotline Phone
Number on it. It also raised enough money to give college scholarships to 5 Cyprus High School
students, the School where Darren and Alecia Lewis went to as well as their son Justin.
Every year the Fallen Brothers Foundation hold a Charity Golf Tournament at the Copper
Golf Course in Magna, UT and host a Benefit Bike Rally to raise money and awareness for
bullying, drugs and alcohol abuse and suicide prevention. I had the opportunity to be apart of the
Bike Rally held on September 19th starting at a local Bike shop in Draper, UT called Coonyz

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Customs in Draper, UT and ended at the Flexpak Co. parking lot in Woods Cross, UT for food,
live music, raffle prizes and motivational, inspiring speakers. During the Bike Rally, the bikers
rode through Liberty Park where the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Walk was
being held and stopped to make contributions and donations to the AFSP local Utah chapter
where the Fallen Brothers Foundation have partnered with. Hundreds of bikers and walkers were
at Liberty Park to show support and to help raise money for suicide prevention and awareness.

Photo Credit: Heidi Cooper

Raising awareness is the sole purpose of these organizations. Knowing that at a young
age is when some of the causes start to sink in is a top priority. One of the main causes that is
linked to suicide is bullying. Most bullying tends to happen during the adolescent years of a
persons life. Elementary school, Junior high school and High School are the common places this
takes place. Simple name-calling is the most common type of bullying and happens to 36% of
teens frequently during their teenage years (Kaplan). Below is a graph to show male and female
8th, 10th and 12th graders who had seriously attempted suicide in the last 12 months.

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Utah Prevention Needs Assessment 2013

Many teenagers are teased or called names because of what they look like, which friends
they hang out with or because of sexual orientation and gender identity. After the US Supreme
Court ruled that the constitution guarantees same sex marriages in every state, it opened the
groundwork for all future civil rights struggles and asserting the constitution to extend equal
rights to all citizens (LGBT). This will hopefully include new policies in schools for antibullying the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender community, which is rapidly growing. Utah
has an extremely hi rate for LGBT suicides as well.
The military has a staggering rate for suicides. Something you may not know is that the
female military veterans suicide rate is nearly the same as male vets (Zarembo). Due to the
posttraumatic stress disorder, which we all hear about but know very little about are a high risk
for suicide. The Armys death toll from suicide has more than tripled since 2001, 52 to 185. The
Army have mounted many aggressive campaigns of suicide prevention to soldiers and their
families. So this is a sad number to see rising while the efforts of awareness and prevention are at
the highest theyve ever been (Wood).

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The biggest risk factor for suicide is substance abuse. The association of alcohol and
drugs with suicidal thoughts and behavior is both conductive and causal. The feeling of
hopelessness is a direct cause from the abuse of alcohol and drugs. Over fifty percent of all
suicides are associated with alcohol and drug dependence. At least twenty five percent of
alcoholics and drug addicts commit suicide. And over seventy percent of adolescent suicides may
involve drug and alcohol use and dependence (Miller). This is so sad because we all have had
friends, family or an acquaintance subject themselves to drugs or alcohol.

Other causes of suicide are mental health problems. Tara Aiken, chairwoman of the Utah
Chapter for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention said, hey, your brain can get sick
but if it does, theres help and hope and this is how we find it(Kaplan). We can do this by
educating the public about mental illness and how to get help through local organizations like
Fallen Brothers Foundation and the AFSP. Mental health conditions associated with suicide
include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and posttraumatic stress disorder (Ilgen). But
factors such as financial difficulties and personal relationships can lead to suicide as well.
No one should ever have to bury their children. This is a sad saying that hopefully
doesnt come true to any of you reading this. But, tragically it is a very common form of death in
the US and the world. We need to educate ourselves in the signs and symptoms of suicidal
behavior. Pay attention to our loved ones who may seem to be depressed or are increasingly
using alcohol or drugs. Keep an eye out for our returned veterans who may be expressing
symptoms. Through foundations like the Fallen Brother Foundation you can rally around a cause
to help prevent suicide in our local community so that more people are aware of its seriousness. I

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will leave you with a quote from the Fallen Brothers Foundation, In the darkest tunnel there is
always a light of hope.

WORKS CITED:

Cairns, Becky. Too Many Young Lives Lost to Suicide. Standard Examiner. 15 Feb 2015.
WEB. http://www.standard.net/Preventing-Teen-Suicide/2015/02/14/Too-many-younglives-lost-to-suicide-Utah-ranks-fifth-in-nation

Ilgen PHD, Mark. The Link between Substance Abuse, Violence, and Suicide. Psychiatric
Times. 20 January 2011. Web. http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/substance-usedisorder/link-between-substance-abuse-violence-and-suicide

Kaplan, Karen. "Depression Is Often Traced to Bullying." Los Angeles Times. 14 Jun. 2015:
A.20. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Sep. 2015.

"LGBT Students Deserve Protection from Bullying. GOP Senators Don't..." Bangor Daily News.
17 Jul. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Sep. 2015.

Miller NS, Mahler JC, Gold MS. Suicide Risk Associated with Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Cornell University Medical College, New York Hospital, Whiteplains 10605. Oct. 1991

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Wood, David. Army Chief Ray Odierno Warns Military Suicides Are Not Going To End After
War Is Over. 25 September 2013. Web. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/25/rayodierno-military-suicides_n_3984359.html