Contributed commentary by Charlie Cyns on upcoming Suicide Prevention Flash event and Out of the Darkness Walk.

On Saturday, October 17, beginning at noon, Dark Raine Tattoo at 1148 College Street in Clarksville invites you to our Suicide Prevention Flash event, benefiting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and supporting the mission of its Tennessee chapter.

All proceeds collected on the day of the flash event will go directly to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Our participating artists are donating their time and talent so we can raise as much as possible for a cause we care about deeply.

This mission is personal. I have struggled with suicidal thoughts in my own past. Sharing that isn’t easy, but if being honest helps even one person feel less alone, it matters. I want people to know there can be joy, connection, and a life worth living beyond the pain they are experiencing today.

Some of the artists participating have faced their own mental health struggles, too. Behind every tattoo will be someone who cares about the person sitting in front of them and the lives this effort may help.

Even if you have never struggled with your own mental health, you may know someone who has lost someone to suicide. This event offers a meaningful way to honor them, celebrate someone’s resilience, or carry a lasting reminder that nobody should face their struggles alone.

We will have so many flash designs to choose from, with the hope that there is a meaningful tattoo for everyone. A foundation representative will be at the studio to greet attendees and connect with our community. Nine World’s Healing will also give everyone who gets tattooed that day a $50 gift card toward massage therapy.

If tattoos aren’t your thing, please join us for the Clarksville Out of the Darkness Walk on Saturday, October 24, at Austin Peay State University. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. and the event starts at noon. There will be snacks, drinks, vendors, and speakers as our community gathers in remembrance, support, and hope.

Get a tattoo. Walk beside someone. Honor a loved one. Become part of something bigger than yourself, a movement that reminds people their mental health matters and their lives matter.

To anyone who needs to hear it: You are not alone. Your story deserves to continue. There is a life worth living, even if you cannot see it clearly right now. You deserve the support to find your way toward it. Walk registration: https://afsp.org/clarksville⁠

If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988.