Pasadena Police Department to Host Remembrance Walk

Suicide is a tragedy that is very difficult to talk about. On more than one occasion I have found myself speaking with someone whom I’ve known for years when they eventually reveal they once had a loved one who died by suicide. Their faces unable to hide the pain from a loss that feels like it happened yesterday.

By Amelia Grace

What can you say or do for someone who’s experienced one of life’s greatest heartbreaks? My response, an awkward silence followed by a mumbled, “I’m sorry.” An inadequate condolence for someone experiencing the utmost grief. On July 10, 2019, Pasadena Police Community Services Officer Lou Oronoz received the news that no parent wants to hear, “Your son has been found…” “Why? What did I/we do to cause this? Why didn’t I see this coming? So many questions that will never be answered,” Oronoz shared.

According to the 2021 Mortality Weekly Report there were 47,500 suicide fatalities in the U.S. and an estimated 1.4 million suicide attempts in 2019. In 2022, Blue Help, reported 184 first responders (police officers, firefighters, and dispatchers) died by suicide. This number is higher than felonious line of duty deaths.

The walk was initiated in 2021 by a Pasadena Police Officer whose patrol partner died by suicide and who was spurred by his loss to effect positive change. The same year, the Pasadena Police Department H.O.P.E. Team and Wellness Unit hosted the First Annual First Responder Suicide Awareness Walk. The goal of this walk was to create great awareness around suicide and first responders. After discussion and collaboration, the goals for the walk grew with an emphasis on an opportunity to bridge the gap between community and first responders. This approach gives all affected by suicide the opportunity to stand together as we build awareness.

This year, the Pasadena Police Department will host Walk in Remembrance in support of Suicide Prevention Month. Walk In Remembrance is a free event and a joint effort by the Pasadena Police Department’s H.O.P.E. (Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Evaluation) Team, the Pasadena Police Department Wellness Unit, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to support those impacted by suicide and those who stand by them. The walk will help raise awareness and send a strong message that suicide is preventable, and that no one is alone.

This annual event has grown exponentially and will feature a resource fair with more than 25 vendors, a 5K walk/run around the Rose Bowl Loop, words of compassion from local dignitaries, and a symbolic dove release. Event Coordinator and Pasadena Police Officer Eduardo Acosta’s message to those contemplating suicide, “Please know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Don’t ever give up. Don’t give up on your story. Don’t give up on the people you love. Hope and love are real. It’s all worth fighting for.”

What can you do?

“We need to be more vigilant when someone cannot ask for help, we need to listen and encourage individuals to say they need help and be there for them any way possible.” Oronoz added. CSO Oronoz shared his story with the hope that it will help save a life.

You can show your support for all those suffering from a loss on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium, Lot H. Walk begins at 8:00 am.

• To find out how you can get involved, email Pasadena Police Officer Eduardo Acosta at eacosta@cityofpasadena.net or Acting Lieutenant Domino Scott-Jackson at dscott-jackson@cityofpasadena.net,
• to support with the purchase of a t-shirt or donations, click here,
• to register for the free walk, click here,
• and for more information, see this video.

Amelia Grace is a resident of Pasadena.