CIRCLEVILLE
On Saturday, September 23, PALS (Partners Against Loss by Suicide) had their sixth annual car show hosted at the Heritage Nazarene Church in Circleville. Partners Against Loss By Suicide (P.A.L.S) was started in 2012 by Eric and Leighann Cook to help create awareness, provide education, and help prevent suicide. PALS was formed in memory of Eddie Lee Cook, who took his own life at the age of 26 on January 27, 2012.
The photo above is the “Memory Car” that has been written on over the years for encouragement and memories of loss from suicide.
The car show is more than just an event. The Cook brothers have a special bond with car mechanics by trade. A love for all things with wheels brought them together, so an outreach that involved people who shared the same passion was perfect for Eddie’s memory.
Eddie’s vehicle, the truck in the background, was in parts when he passed away. The guys’ reassembled it after his passing, as one of Eddie’s unfinished projects, completing it in memory of him.
Eddie was the kind of friend everyone wanted. He was kind, caring and loyal and would help anyone, anywhere at any time. Eddie had some struggles in his life with alcohol and pain pills (which were initially taken to relieve pain, quickly merging into an addiction).
Eddie was the last person anyone would have thought would take his own life, but tragically suicide knows no bounds. As a way to help others not follow in Eddie’s tragic path and keep families from suffering in the same way Eddie’s family still suffers, PALS was formed.
PALS’s primary goal is to educate people to know that suicide is not the only option as well as educate people on the signs of suicide and ultimately help prevent others from taking their own lives. “We want people to talk about suicide and stop seeing it as a taboo subject.”
Annually, PALS holds a Car Show and Family Fun Day to raise money to help with their goals. In the 6 years that PALS has existed, they have raised over $15,000. Monies raised have been used locally to support speakers through Tragedy into Triumph (with speakers like Daryl Strawberry, Deon Sanders and Justin Wren) who have all overcome battles with addiction, depression and suicide. Funds have also been provided to a national organization called Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) and locally to an organization which helps with PTSD and suicide prevention among veterans.
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Eric and Leighann both hope to begin speaking to youth to educate them on suicide. Eric is working with Westerville North High School to hopefully speak there very soon. “We would love to speak at the local schools in some capacity and start working more with community partners.”
Suicide has been the 10th leading cause of death in the US for at least the last 3 years, with someone in the US taking their own life every 11.9 minutes. “With education and awareness, we can reduce the number of people who take their lives and show them that there are always other options and that they are loved by many.”
You can like PALS – Partners Against Loss by Suicide on Facebook
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