(STURGIS) – There was a good turnout Saturday for a community event designed to talk about suicide prevention.

Be Here Tomorrow was an opportunity to bring awareness to the growing issue of suicide in St. Joseph County and Southern Michigan, and to let people know of the resources available to those who may think that suicide is their only option.

The keynote speaker was Kevin Hines, who in 2000 jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge because he felt there was no reason for him to go on. Hines shared with the audience that prior to that event he had been suffering mentally for quite some time. ...... {LISTEN}.

Hines says he was at the bottom when he decided to jump off the bridge, feeling that nobody cared if he was alive or not. Just after jumping, Hines says he realized he didn’t want to die, and was one of the very few people who survived the fall. However, he now suffers with constant pain.

Hines told the audience that if there is just one piece of information they receive from him, is to never silence your pain. He says reach out to someone for help.

Be Here Tomorrow was presented by the St. Joseph County Suicide Prevention Taskforce, and sponsored by Walking Along Suicide Prevention and the St. Joseph County United Way.