Ryan Nash Foundation fundraiser set for July 10
Originally published June 30, 2016
Ryan Nash was the kid next door who may have seemed a bit shy to those who did not know him well. But he always had a huge infectious smile that could light up a room.
Ryan also was a young man who had an abundance of friends — who often times was the organizer of fun-filled nights.
He also had a sensitive side, along with a great sense of humor; which his mother, Krisan Nash, thinks appealed to many of his “girlfriends.” Ryan had been an honor student at Sandburg High School in Orland Park and had made the school’s baseball team — an accomplishment of which he was extremely proud; as he had played baseball since age 5.
All of this being said, his tragic death by suicide four years ago at age 15 left his father, Dan, his only sister, Niki and his mom, Krisan, along with all of his friends and the entire Orland Park community in a state of utter shock.
“The most sought out question of why will never be answered; which is the reason I have made it my mission to dedicate my time to raising awareness and try to tackle the stigma that circles suicide death,” Krisan Nash said.
“We believe if more attention is paid to the study of the human mind, specifically the research spent studying the prefrontal cortex of the pubescent brain — the area that controls impulse control and decision making, which is not developed until the age of 25 or so — we could also help reduce deaths by suicide.”
Those closest to Ryan have started a non-profit organization — The Ryan Nash Foundation — in an effort to help achieve these goals by raising money to award scholarships to students who intend on studying mental health, counseling, and/or social work. The Ryan Nash Foundation awarded scholarships this year to two Sandburg High School students who intend on studying psychology and neuroscience. Lauren Pelesky and Sofia Jaurequi accepted scholarships for their future college career goals.
“This would not be possible without my committee, made up of amazing, selfless friends” Nash said. “They say it takes a village to raise children; these ladies have been my village since I lost Ryan. Truly, they helped make the wish of honoring my son come true by forming this foundation and helping others.”
In order to raise funds to support awareness programs, and provide scholarships to deserving college bound students, the Ryan Nash Foundation is hosting their second annual golf outing. The event kicks off 11:36 a.m. July 10 at Silver Lakes Country Club, 14700 S. 82nd Ave. Following golf, a dinner will start between 5:30-6:00 p.m. Registration is open through July 6 or until spots are filled. Participants can choose either nine or 18 holes of golf, which include lunch and dinner; or join in only for the dinner option. Details can be found at: http://www.ryannashfoundation.com
Last year’s outing raised nearly $15,000, which provided donations to organizations dedicated to fighting suicide and helping suicide survivors — the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and to Loving Outreach to Suicide Survivors (LOSS). The 2015 event hosted 85 golfers and 170 attendees; and had 28 hole sponsors.
“We have done three successful walks prior to the golf outing, but we believe the golf outing is a fun-filled day celebrating Ryan’s life,” Nash said. “Bittersweet as it may be, it’s a day we all come together for this great cause.”
“It’s been four years now, and my family and I can’t say it gets any easier,” Nash said. “However, because we have been given the support of so many loving and amazing people from Ryan’s huge circle of friends — who never forget about us and continually invite us into their lives as they are going into adulthood — and to acquaintances who may just offer a kind word or a prayer, we are able to grow stronger and continue to honor Ryan by helping other families from having to go through this type of heart wrenching loss.
“I will always want to speak of my only son and tell his story in hopes of raising awareness and preventing any further loss to suicide. Our future goals are to continue to raise awareness and award scholarships to students who may make a difference in the future in our fight to lower deaths by suicide.”
Nash added: “I think that the stigma that surrounds suicide is there are glaring signs you should be able to see. That is not true. No one saw this coming. I have heard the same sentiment from many other suicide survivor families. We only know the battle Ryan lost, we don’t know how many he won prior to that fateful day. There are so many kids, like Ryan, that may be battling their own thoughts/depression/anxiety without having any outward signs, which is why it’s so important to continue to educate, raise awareness, and talk about prevention.”
For information on suicide prevention, or to get help, please visit the following websites:
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml
American Foundations for Suicide Prevention
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education