Warrior Run: The Race For Life - Hold Onto Hope

"Hold onto Hope" was a common phrase I told Beth. And, "Even if you don't believe it hold onto the hope of hope". I too lived by this phrase, knowing that losing her was a real possibility but holding onto hope for her.

My sister Beth passed away by suicide on November 5, 2016 at 34 years old, just one year and four days after our father's passing.

She had a long and agonizing battle with depression and despite various treatments that offered little to no relief she just couldn't fight any longer. She told me just days before that she was losing all hope. Hope to ever be happy, hope to ever be normal, hope to ever be someone that isn't sad constantly. She was afraid of the stigma and found it hard to see how much depression had taken over her life; how it had changed her from the successful professional woman she once was and the effects of the various treatments had on her body and mind.

My goal in running this race is all for Beth and others who suffer similarly. I want to raise awareness and understanding for mental illness and suicide. I want to encourage compassion instead of judgement. I want to break the stigma, encouraging those who suffer to no longer hide and others to embrace them with empathy and understanding. I want to provide support to those who suffer with mental illness, those who have considered suicide, and those who attempted suicide. I also want to honorably remember those who could no longer fight and were successful in their suicide. I also want to support the family and friends of those affected by suicide.


My sister, my best friend, lost her life. I hope by running this race and raising money in Beth's memory, we can help prevent someone from taking their life.

Connect with others about this event and see who's going!

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Hold Onto Hope Members

• Jess James - Contribute to a Team
• Barbara Willis - Contribute to a Team
• Lori Toman - Contribute to a Team
• Ben and Whitney Jones - Contribute to a Team
• Carolyn and Steve Jones - Contribute to a Team
• Diane Howe - Contribute to a Team
• Cristina Spinner - Contribute to a Team
• Catherine Johnson - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Lois Mcdaniel craig - 1-Mile Participant
• Betty Sonny - 1-Mile Participant
• William Smith - Contribute to a Team
• Mike Sonny - 5K Participant
• Mike & Betty Sonny - Contribute to a Team
• Si & Laura Pitstick - Contribute to a Team
• Eleanor Klunk - Kids Fun Run
• Eliot Klunk - Kids Fun Run
• Nicole Mattie - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)
• Jeanne Kleiman - 5K Participant
• Adam Soliman - 5K Participant
• Jaime Lewis - 5K Participant
• Stephanie Thomas - 5K Participant
• Jamie Neely - 5K Participant
• Todd Neely - 5K Participant
• Chloe Neely - 5K Participant
• Rosie Chalfant - Contribute to a Team
• MacKenzie Dunlap - Contribute to a Team
• Lara Picard - Contribute to a Team
• Marcie Costello - Contribute to a Team
• RJ Sonny - Kids Fun Run
• Dylan Sonny - Kids Fun Run
• David Sonny - 5K Participant
• Jeffrey LeRoy - 5K Participant
• Joseph Moellman - Contribute to a Team
• Opeolu Adeoye - 5K Participant
• Melinda MacDougall - 5K Participant
• Jillian Sonny - 5K Participant
• Jane Humphries, Noel Humphries, Cristal Williams - Team or Group Registration (5K or 1 Mile)

Hold Onto Hope has raised $1,206.25.