Back in June, Adoram 1029, members of the Rosa of Sharon Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Stars came together to honor a loved one lost by bringing awareness to suicide prevention.
The organization, alongside the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention Virginia Chapter, held a suicide prevention walk at Kings Fork Middle School on Saturday, June 22, in memory of Jorge Hernandez Jr, who died by suicide in 2023.
June 21, the day before the walk, was Hernandez’s birthday, and his mother, Diana Jones, talked about bringing the walk to fruition.
“I wanted to do a commemorative walk, so we came up with the suicide prevention [walk] because the cause of his death was by suicide,” Jones said.
At the walk, Adoram 1029 Secretary Tanya Hobbs emphasized the importance of bringing awareness to both suicide prevention and mental health.
“I think people need to realize for those who don’t realize that suicide is a very real thing. Mental health is a very real thing,” Hobbs said. “You need to keep check on your mental health as well as your physical health, because your physical health can affect your mental health. And your mental health can also affect your physical health. I know that personally.”