NEW YORK — Lots of will participate within the Out of the Darkness In a single day Stroll on Saturday within the battle in opposition to suicide. CBS2’s Cindy Hsu will probably be strolling for the primary time.
On Friday, Hsu spoke with a younger man who has taken this emotional journey for years.
“I have been performing some longer walks nowadays in an effort to prepare. I obtained some new sneakers in the present day I obtained to start out breaking in,” Justin Melnick mentioned.
Melnick spoke in regards to the 16-mile stroll to boost cash and consciousness for the American Basis for Suicide Prevention, or AFSP. Lots of will stroll by way of the evening till early Sunday morning.
In a single day walks have been held everywhere in the nation. This 12 months, it is again in New York Metropolis.
It will likely be Melnick’s third time strolling for AFSP and he encourages anybody who has been touched by suicide or psychological sickness to affix in.
“It was a life-changing occasion for me. I would not need anyone else to lose out on that have,” he mentioned.
Melnick first seen one thing was mistaken when he was 13 years outdated in center faculty and identified with melancholy.
“I bear in mind being in eighth grade and people first emotions of darkish hopelessness actually began to creep in,” Melnick mentioned.
He sought remedy with remedy, medicine and plenty of household help.
“Regardless that you possibly can see a therapist and you may take medicine, it actually requires work to assist your self,” mentioned Michelle Melnick, Justin’s mother. “I feel lots of people do not typically do this and that results in tragedy. So I am simply so grateful that Justin shared his battle.”
The battle continued. By his senior 12 months in highschool, Melnick was identified with bipolar dysfunction and tried suicide at 20.
“I used to be at some extent in my life the place I used to be feeling actually, actually hopeless. I used to be struggling personally, professionally and I did not see an out,” he mentioned.
Melnick, now 23, is doing properly in the present day. He is going for his Ph.D. at NYU. He is nonetheless in remedy and doing issues every single day to remain mentally wholesome.
“I prefer to run. I prefer to train. I prefer to take an excellent, lengthy stroll across the metropolis and verify in with household and mates,” Melnick mentioned.
His mother has this recommendation for folks with household or mates who’re struggling:
“I might say simply ensure you say as typically as you probably can, in phrases and actions, that you’re right here,” Michelle Melnick mentioned. “Simply reiterate that they’ve folks on the market that wish to assist them.”
They each say Saturday’s In a single day Stroll is a time of gratitude and appreciation that they don’t seem to be alone.
CBS2 is a proud sponsor of the In a single day Stroll, which kicks off Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
