Brian Out Loud

That’s the day of the DJ Deas Marvelous Light Foundation 5K Fun Run/Walk in Navarre.

It’s scheduled for 8 a.m. at NYSA.

That’s early for a Saturday morning.

But it’s worth it.

It’s worth it because DJ Deas meant something to this community, leaving quite an impression on so many in such a short period of time.

He was on the track team for a season. He played football here for a season as well before moving back to the Jacksonville area.

He was a great athlete and stellar student. He had a smile that was as infectious as a smile can get. He always wore it.

It’s why his death last June came as a shock to all of us. Deas died by suicide. He was 16.

There were no red flags his life would end this way. No signs anything was wrong.

As his mom, Cheryl, told me last October, her son was set up to succeed in every way.

He had a future as a college athlete.

He could have been anything he wanted.

He had the world at his fingertips.

Cheryl and her husband, Darnell, didn’t want to sit back and do nothing. They didn’t want another parent to go down the road they had to when they lost their son in tragic fashion.

It’s why they started the Marvelous Light Foundation, a nonprofit to provide support for families affected by suicide while also bringing about mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

They want people to know help exists. They want to bring to light the problems someone might be dealing with, problems that may push a person to contemplate suicide as an option.

The only way to shatter the stigma is to talk about it. The Deas family wants to bring people out of the darkness and into the marvelous light.

Cheryl Deas has speaking engagements planned around the country. She also has walks planned for every town Deas played in during his life.

In December, the Deas family participated in a walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. They helped raise $3,000 for the foundation.

The hope is to do even more for suicide prevention. To raise as much money as possible for it. Some of the money will go to a scholarship for a Navarre High School senior.

If you have any thoughts of staying in bed the morning of the 5K, think about this for a moment.

The Tuesday after Martin Luther King Day, Deas landed in Jacksonville at 1:30 a.m. after a late-night flight from Washington D.C.

That left her just an hour to sleep before driving to Navarre for the County Commission meeting, where she made her request to hold a 5K in Navarre in honor of her son.

That’s dedication. That shows you just how important this cause is to her. How important her drive is to make sure no parent ever loses a loved one to suicide again.

I know 8 a.m. is early for a Saturday morning.

But if you can, get up and run. Get up and walk.

The cause is a worthy one. Show the same dedication Cheryl and Darnell have shown in making this walk a reality and the dedication they have shown in keeping their son’s memory alive.