Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

Shining Levi's Light

"When it is darkest, we can see the stars." These words by Ralph Waldo Emerson bring to light the essence of suicide prevention.

Exactly nine months to the day after losing their loved one to suicide, friends and family of Levi Duda gathered in Bismarck Sunday afternoon to remember him. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's "Out of the Darkness" Walk had been scheduled for that day, but had been changed to a virtual event due to the pandemic. There was no formal event in place, but still, the group decided to gather anyway and complete their walk as scheduled.

When Levi's sister Kori Duda first shared the fundraising page, she said, "In 2019, there were 154 people in North Dakota that died by suicide in North Dakota. My brother Levi Duda was one of them." As the Duda family grieves the loss of their son, brother, nephew and grandson, they also seek to raise awareness about suicide, erase the stigma of mental illness and walk with those who struggle to ultimately prevent suicide.

The family chose to participate in the Bismarck event at the request from many of Levi's friends, who reside there and wanted to take part in the memorial walk. Around 35 people walked the trails in Sertoma Park for 90 minutes in memory of Levi. Many were wearing t-shirts designed and screen printed by Sydney Ulrich at Transcript Publishing.

The New Rockford Transcript teamed up with the Duda family to make over 100 memorial t-shirts, pledging the proceeds from the t-shirt sales to both the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and to Eddy County Community Cares, a local 501(c)3 organization that seeks to foster mental health, suicide prevention and awareness, and provide support for those impacted by suicide.

Publisher Amy Wobbema and Graphic Designer Sydney Ulrich presented Karen Omoth of Eddy County Community Cares with a check for $500 on Wednesday, representing half of the proceeds from the shirt sales plus $100 directly donated by Transcript Publishing.

The Transcript made another $500 donation to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in memory of Levi on Wednesday.

Memorial t-shirts are still available for purchase, with proceeds going to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Youth and adult sizes are available. To order a t-shirt, stop in at the Transcript office, call us at (701) 947-2417 or email your order to [email protected].

The team goal was to raise $3,250 for AFSP. As of right now, Levi Duda's team is ranked #1 for donations through AFSP for the Bismarck/Mandan Experience with a total of $3,860 raised. Donations are accepted through October 24. Transcript Publishing is a member of Team Levi Duda, so readers interested in making a direct donation in memory of Levi may do so at this link: https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/2357745.

 
 
Rendered 03/09/2024 05:48