Editors’ note: This article discusses mental health challenges, including depression and suicide. Some readers may find this content distressing. If you or someone you know is struggling, please consider reaching out to a mental health professional or calling or texting the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for free, confidential support.
Demario Knighton Centeno was Kenzie Dessert’s best friend. And he would stay her best friend forever, she said.
That was why, two years after he died by suicide at the age of 14, she decided to do something bold — she decided to hold another memorial. This memorial would ensure her friend was remembered, she said. She believed Albemarle High School didn’t do enough to acknowledge his passing in 2023 — not even enough for her to be able to explain to her peers why she had such a public breakdown on the day of his death…