Suicide Prevention & Recovery Event - A Morning of Hope & Healing

The Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) invites you to join us for a powerful morning of remembrance, hope, healing, and recovery as we come together in recognition of Suicide Prevention Month and Recovery Month. On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, community members, individuals with lived experience, families, advocates, behavioral health professionals, peer supporters, community organizations, and allies will gather in Tucker, Georgia, for a free community event created to remind people of something we can never say enough: Your life has value. Your story matters. Hope is real. Recovery is possible. This event is about more than raising awareness. It is about creating connection. It is about remembering the lives we have lost to suicide, honoring those who continue to navigate their own mental health and recovery journeys, celebrating the strength found in recovery, and making sure people know that support and community are available. Featuring Keynote Speaker Kevin Hines We are honored to welcome internationally recognized suicide prevention advocate, bestselling author, filmmaker, and speaker Kevin Hines as our keynote speaker. At 19 years old, Kevin survived a suicide attempt after jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. Since that time, he has dedicated his life to suicide prevention and sharing a message of hope, resilience, recovery, and the importance of reaching out for support. Kevin speaks openly about his lived experience and his ongoing journey with mental wellness, helping communities have conversations that are often difficult but incredibly necessary. His story reminds us that a moment of overwhelming pain does not have to be the end of someone's story. His message is especially meaningful for a gathering centered on both suicide prevention and recovery—because prevention is not simply about surviving a crisis. It is also about what comes afterward: connection, support, purpose, community, healing, and building a life beyond that moment. Voices of Lived Experience, Recovery & Hope Throughout the morning, attendees will hear from individuals and organizations bringing different expressions of hope and recovery to the event. Dr. Wendell Fields will bring the perspective of lived experience and mental health recovery, reinforcing the power of peer support and what becomes possible when people are given opportunities to heal, grow, and use their experiences to help others. Kenneth “Sober Scooter” Reddick will add another powerful recovery voice to the day, helping us recognize the many pathways through which people find healing, purpose, and connection. R2ISE Recovery will bring its unique combination of art, recovery, and freedom, demonstrating how creativity and community can provide meaningful spaces for people to express their experiences and connect with others. Featured artist S.I.N.O. will use music and lived experience to deliver a message rooted in suicide prevention, strength, and hope. His participation reminds us that conversations about mental health do not have to happen in only one way—sometimes music and art can reach places that words alone cannot. Richard Shaw Jr. will also join us for a special live musical performance, bringing another dimension of reflection, connection, and healing to the morning. Community Resources & Connection An important part of this event is making sure awareness is connected to real resources and real people. Community organizations and resource providers will be onsite to share information about mental health, recovery, peer support, suicide prevention, behavioral health services, and other community supports. Attendees will have an opportunity to meet organizations doing this work, learn more about available resources, make connections, and take information back to their families and communities. Whether you have your own lived experience, love someone who does, work in behavioral health, have been impacted by suicide, are walking a recovery journey, or simply want to become a stronger source of hope within your community—you are welcome here. A Community Coming Together Hosted by the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network in partnership with the City of Tucker Parks & Recreation, this gathering reflects what can happen when communities come together around a shared commitment to hope. We will remember. We will celebrate recovery. We will talk openly about suicide prevention. We will connect people with resources. We will make room for lived experience. And most importantly, we will remind one another that no one should have to walk through their hardest moments alone. Wednesday, September 30, 2026 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM 4898 Lavista Road, Tucker, GA 30084 Admission is FREE, but registration is encouraged. Come spend the morning with us. Bring a friend, colleague, family member, or someone who simply needs to be reminded that there is still hope ahead. A Morning of Remembrance, Hope & Healing. Real people. Real stories. Real hope.