Mom hopes story of teen’s suicide will prevent others

Despite the rainy and overall gloomy weather on Oct. 24, approximately 70 people turned out at Patrick’s Point River Campsite in Williamsburg to remember a Whitley County teen who took her own life in 2018.

About 70 people turned out on a gloomy morning on Oct. 24 for the Bethany’s Hope 2020 Memorial Suicide Awareness Prevention Horse Ride, which was held at Patrick’s Point River Campsite. The ride is held in memory of 16-year-old Bethany Faith Lawson, who died by suicide in August 2018.

The Bethany’s Hope Memorial Suicide Prevention Horse Ride was held in memorial of Bethany Faith Lawson.

Lawson was an avid horse rider, who adopted her own rescue horse.

“Bethany loved horses!” her mom, Melissa Lawson said prior to the ride. “Horses are therapeutic.”

Lawson said this marked the first year Bethany’s Hope, the organization founded in her daughter’s memory to promote suicide prevention and awareness, has been able to host the ride locally.

“I am thrilled with the turnout!” Lawson said adding that so many people who knew and cared about Bethany had come out for the ride.

Lawson said Bethany’s suicide in August 2018, just days before she was to return to Whitley County High School for her sophomore years, was a shock.

“Bethany was adored from the day she took her first breath to the day she took her last, “Lawson said. “She had support from her family, church and at school.”

“She was always smiling. Always happy,” Lawson added. “She did not give us any indication that the thought had ever crossed her mind. Not even one time!”

Lawson said that just a few hours before Bethany took her life, she had been talking about the return to school.

“She was telling me what classes she was going to change next week,” Lawson said.

“We were picking out school clothes.”

In addition, Lawson said she and Bethany were talking about her plans for after graduation.

“She was talking about what she was going to do in college,” Lawson said.

“It was a complete and total shock for us,” she said of her daughter’s suicide.

Lawson said she was familiar with the signs of someone considering suicide and never saw any indication from Bethany.

“It just let me know, we don’t always know what is going on with our kids,” Lawson said. “There are things they don’t share with us.”

Lawson said the goal with Bethany’s Hope and the horseback ride is to help spread awareness that there are more children thinking about suicide, and it could be yours.

“We have to find a way to bring awareness to people to drop the stigma,” Lawson said adding that parents have to sit down with their children and take the time to emphasize that if something is overwhelming them, they need to reach out for help.

“Tell them, ‘If you are not okay, that’s okay. You just need to share that with somebody and not try to hold that in and deal with it yourself. If there is something going on, there is somebody that you can share that with, regardless of what it is,’” Lawson said.

Saturday’s ride was free to participate in. Following a ride a community lunch was served, and a benefit auction was held.

Lawson said all proceeds from the ride and other events go into the Bethany’s Hope fund.

The organization is in the process of establishing two scholarships in Bethany’s memory.

The first will be the Whitley County High School Character Scholarship.

A committee will select a student, who puts themselves before others, or displays good character.

The second will be the Bethany’s Hope Scholarship, which will be given to a member of the group.

As to what the community may do to keep Bethany’s memory alive, Lawson emphasized that the stigma associated with mental health must end.

“You can use me and my story, because I would do anything to turn back the clock and do that myself with Bethany,” Lawson said. “Talk to them. Tell them they can always come to you. Kids sometimes, they feel like something is huge that isn’t.”

“Vocalization ends victimization. When you speak it, it frees you!” Lawson said.

More information about Bethany’s Hope is available on the Bethany’s Hope Facebook page.