HONOLULU (KHON2) — Did you know suicide touches one in five American families?

“We hope that by walking we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss. Our goal is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide,” stated Mike O’Malley, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Hawaii Chapter’s Sponsor Chair.

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Oahu’s annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk will be held on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:30 a.m. starting at Sky Gate Park (Honolulu Hale) to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Saturday also marks World Suicide Prevention Day. This walk is one of 550-plus events being held nationwide this year.

Last year, these walks raised over $21 million for suicide prevention, according to AFSP, turning hope into action. The goal is to reduce the annual suicide rate.

“The research has shown us how to fight suicide, and if we keep up the fight, the science is only going to get better and our culture will get smarter about mental health,” stated AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia.

HAWAII SUICIDE STATISTICS

  • 11th leading cause of death in Hawaii
  • 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10 to 34
  • 3rd leading cause of death for ages 35 to 44
  • 6th leading cause of death for ages 45 to 54
  • 8th leading cause of death for ages 55 to 64
  • 18th leading cause of death for ages 65+
  • Over 6x as many people died by suicide in 2019 than in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents
  • 62% of firearm deaths were suicides
  • 17% of all suicides were by firearms

NOTE: AFSP pulled these facts from 2020 CDC data, the most current verified data available at time of publication (March 2022). Click here for more information on Hawaii’s numbers.

U.S. SUICIDE STATISTICS

  • 12th leading cause of death in the U.S.
  • In 2020, there were an estimated 1.2 million suicide attempts
  • In 2020, nearly 46,000 Americans died by suicide
  • The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2020 was 13.48 per 100,000 individuals
  • The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men
  • In 2020, men died by suicide 3.88x more than women
  • On average, there are 130 suicides per day
  • White males accounted for 69.68% of suicide deaths in 2020
  • In 2020, firearms accounted for 52.83% of all suicide deaths
  • 93% of adults surveyed in the U.S. think suicide can be prevented.

Click here to see additional facts about suicide in America.

There’s also an Out of the Darkness Community Walk happening in Hilo on Saturday starting at 10 a.m. at Aupuni Center. For details on the Oahu and Big Island walks, click here.

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AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide.