Gomez joins “Out of Darkness” suicide prevention event in Agawam

State Senator Adam Gómez (D-Springfield) joined hundreds of community members gathered this weekend at School Street Park in Agawam for the annual Out of the Darkness Walk, a powerful event organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to raise awareness, honor lives lost, and support those affected by suicide.

The walk brought together families, advocates, survivors, and local leaders in a shared commitment to end the stigma surrounding mental health and promote suicide prevention efforts across Hampden County and beyond.

“Suicide is a public health crisis that continues to claim lives across the Commonwealth,” said Senator Gómez. “In 2023, Massachusetts lost 658 people to suicide. In Hampden County, the crisis is even more acute, with a ‘deaths of despair’ rate nearly 40% higher than the state average. We must break the silence, challenge the stigma, and ensure that every person knows they are not alone.”

The statistics are sobering:

• In 2023, Massachusetts recorded 658 suicide deaths, with an age-adjusted rate of 8.6 per 100,000 residents.

• Hampden County’s rate of “deaths of despair”—which includes suicide, overdose, and alcohol-related deaths—is 77 per 100,000, significantly higher than the state average.

• Nationally, men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women, accounting for nearly 80% of all suicide deaths.

The Out of the Darkness Walk is part of a nationwide movement to bring suicide prevention out of the shadows and into the light. Funds raised support AFSP’s research, education, advocacy, and support programs for those affected by suicide.