Residents in need of mental health services can call the Mental Health Drug and Alcohol Services Board of Logan and Champaign Counties at (937) 465-1045.
Their 11-year-old son Kamden died months ago, but James and Stephanie Ketchell told a small crowd at Urbana University they will not let his death be in vain.
“We will go anywhere the Lord will allow in an effort to reach out and help others,” James told those gathered last week for a suicide prevention awareness ceremony at Urbana University.
Kamden, a Cable resident and fifth-grade student at Triad Middle School, committed suicide in late April. Although he could be a handful at times, Kamden could also surprise people with his kindness toward others.
Shortly after he be started fifth grade, his stepmother Stephanie Ketchell said she began to notice snacks around the house were missing. At first, she thought he was just snacking more than usual. Kamden later told her he was giving them to a classmate who never had enough money for lunch.
“Kamden was always full of energy and always had a story to tell,” she said.
While they continue to cope with the loss, James Ketchell said they now want to provide support for families facing similar circumstances.
Resources are available for families who need it, said Phyllis Crevison, whose son Christopher committed suicide two years ago. The support of other local families who faced similar circumstances has been crucial, she said.
“We have to support each other,” Crevison said. “It helps to know you’re not the only person who’s hurting.”
Local resources are available for families who need help, said Molly Smith, a member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Logan and Champaign Counties. In 2011, at least seven people committed suicide in Champaign County, and many more have attempted to take their own lives.
Smith encouraged residents to watch out for warning signs of depression, including isolation and withdrawal, or an increase in risky behavior. Although there is often a stigma attached to suicide, Smith said people need to remember that the victims often led good, productive lives.
“They left behind many people that cared about them, and they cared about as well,” Smith said.
To help local schools provide help for students struggling with depression, the Ketchells are working with the Union County Foundation in Marysville to establish a fund that would help pay to provide additional counseling services in Champaign County school districts.
There were few signs Kamden needed help, they said. But his life helped inspire them to help other families prevent a similar loss.
“You never know how fragile someone is,” James Ketchell said.
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