Manhattan board proclaims September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month; local mother shares family's loss

Mayor Mike Adrianson read a proclamation designating September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in the Village of Manhattan and asked residents to raise awareness of mental-health resources.

At the board meeting, a Manhattan resident identified as Shelly told the board she lost her 15-year-old son, Jackson, to suicide on June 28, 2020, and described the lasting impact on her family. “One of the most painful and life-altering experiences my husband Chris and I have faced was the loss of our son Jackson. He was just 15 years old when he died by the suicide on 06/28/2020,” Shelly said.

Shelly urged the community to recognize warning signs and to encourage open, judgment-free conversations about mental health. She referenced the 988 crisis lifeline and local counseling services as resources for people in crisis. “We can increase awareness, what are the signs of some new crisis, changes in behavior, mood, or withdrawal, and encourage open, judgment free conversations about mental health,” she said.

Adrianson said the board supports local educators, mental-health professionals, law enforcement, coaches and parents as partners in suicide prevention. The proclamation text cited national statistics from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention about suicide as a leading cause of death among younger Americans — material read aloud during the meeting by the mayor as part of the proclamation.

Shelly said she distributed materials at the meeting and has placed purple ribbons and banners in town to mark the month. She asked residents to check in on neighbors and to “take time to check-in with their family, friends, and neighbors on a regular basis.”

The board did not vote on additional measures at the meeting; the proclamation is a formal recognition and the mayor and trustees encouraged continued local outreach and use of 988 and community counseling services.