You Matter Day Aims to Save Young People from Suicide
Hunter Haskins could have been the poster child for a perfect 18-year-old boy. Part of the Class of 2021 at Merritt Island High School, Hunter already had an early start on college courses through his dual enrollment at Eastern Florida State College.
He played lacrosse and football and enjoyed surfing. With a loving family, many friends, good looks, winning personality and the ability to excel both academically and on the playing field, Hunter had it all as he headed to the University of Central Florida to study mechanical engineering two years ago.
Five weeks later, on September 29, Hunter took his own life.
The tragedy left his family struggling to understand how this could happen without warning.
“We needed to find out the why,” said his mother, Kelly Haskins.
While a panic attack induced by failing an online math test due to internet issues appeared to trigger Hunter to suicide, additional clues emerged from seemingly offhand online comments about how little it would matter if he were not around.
“He was struggling emotionally, but he hid his feelings and his thoughts,” Kelly said. “He had a panic attack and didn’t have the tools to handle it.”
Stats Tell A Story
Hunter’s story is sadly not uncommon. Statistics provided by the National Alliance on Mental Illness note that 20% of high school students have contemplated suicide and that 9% have attempted to take their lives. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24. Only motor vehicle accidents claim more young lives.
Teens and young adults are more impulsive and thus more vulnerable to suicide because the prefrontal cortex, which acts as the brain’s executive control center, is not fully developed until an individual hits the mid-20s. This part of the brain helps adults weigh risks and consequences.
Turning Tragedy Into Action
Kelly's family and friends will never be the same without Hunter, but they have rallied around the message of "You Matter" and formed Do It for Hunter, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to saving lives from suicide by providing life-saving resources and spreading kindness.
“Even if we only help one person, it is worth it,” said Beth Beil, treasurer of the group’s volunteer board of directors.
Do It for Hunter aims to place the issue of suicide front and center, not hidden away.
“People are afraid to say the word “suicide,” Kelly said. “We need to break the stigma.”
The group’s signature event is “You Matter Day,” which launched in 2022 as Merritt Island schools, churches and businesses stepped up with drive-thru hugs, smiles, high fives and more.
“The message we want to get across is that you are loved and that you can reach out for help,” Kelly said. “We need to make sure everyone, especially our youth, know they matter, they are loved and that there are places and people to turn to if they feel helpless from depression and anxiety. We want to equip young people with strategies for getting through life.”
Community Rallies Together
Timed to coincide with National Suicide Awareness Month, “You Matter Day” this year takes place from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16.
Participants include Audubon Elementary School, Stevenson Elementary, Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School, Jefferson Middle School, 211 Brevard, Faith Lutheran Church, True You Always, Papa Vitos Italian Restaurant, Merritt Island Thrift Store, Islander Alliance Church, Coastal Life Properties and Trinity Fitness. More are being added.
At the event’s epicenter is Hunter’s alma mater, Merritt Island High School, where plenty of fun is planned to deliver a serious message. Big Don’s food truck will have food for purchase to fuel up for the games, drawings, giveaways and more at the student parking lot.
Participants are encouraged to visit any and all of the participating venues to pick up tickets for a drawing to be held at 3 p.m. at Merritt Island High. Prizes, donated by community businesses, include roundtrip airline tickets, a Long Doggers gift basket, gift cards and more. Major sponsors include Merritt Island and Melbourne Surgery Centers, Silver Airways, Blacks Spray Service and Craig Technologies.
“Its goal is to spread the “You Matter” message and to save lives, prevent suicide and share the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline resource,” Kelly said.
The day winds down with “You Matter Yoga” at 5 p.m. at Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral. All activities are free.
Merritt Island High will also host “You Matter Night at Mustang Stadium” at 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 29, during the football game. Instead of the traditional black and gold school color combination, fans are encouraged to wear purple, the color used to raise awareness of the suicide crisis. All attendees will receive “You Matter” bracelets and stickers, and t-shirts will be available for a $20 donation.
Remember: 988
All funds raised from You Matter Day provide for free bracelets and stickers to be given out to any school or organization who wants them to help get the 988 number in front of young faces.
“I’ve sent stickers to as far away as Oregon to be placed on high school laptops for an entire school,” Kelly said.
It also provides funds for You Matter benches that have the 988 crisis lifeline.
“That is what Do It For Hunter does, it helps communicate the message of You Matter, and aims to save a life,” Kelly said. “Just one, because it matters.”
Throughout all the events, the number “988” will figure prominently.
“I want people to know 988 as well as they know 911,” Kelly said.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, offers all ages 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help during any kind of emotional distress. Family or friends worried about a loved one who may need crisis support can also call, text or chat the number.
The adage of a picture being worth more than a thousand words is all too true when looking at a photo of Hunter Haskins beaming during his high school graduation. No statistics can raise the urgency for suicide awareness more than the image of a young man whose boundless promise will never be realized.
“If it happened to our family, it could happen to anyone,” Kelly said.
Learn More
For more on “You Matter Day,” visit DoItForHunter.org
Facebook: /youmattermerrittisland
Instagram: @do_it_for_hunter
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