SCOTT COUNTY, Tenn. — A Scott County mother is on a mission to raise awareness about suicide.
Mary King lost her son, Zackary, in 2019. He was 16-years-old at the time of his death and Friday would have been his 18th birthday.
Before his death, Mary said she didn't understand what the warning signs of suicide looked like. She now understands the signs and wants to educate others so other tragedies can be prevented.
King said her son had the ability to light up a room. Zackary was kind, caring and even helped out as a junior firefighter.
"He'd make anybody laugh, he was just comical to be around," she said.
He did it all while facing his own battles. Mary said he had depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
King said he had been in therapy. In August 2019, just days before he died, she said things seemed normal until the morning she found he had taken his life.
"That's where it really got me, was why couldn't I see this coming," she said.
In the months following his death, she took classes wanting to educate herself on the warning signs of suicide. It was clear that Zackary showed signs, she just had no idea what they were.
She said Zackary stopped going out with his friends, and although he loved sports he stopped playing them. He also stopped caring about the way he looked, she said.
Since his death, King worked to help others recognize the signs of suicide, including behavioral differences and changes in a person's routine. She said she is set on erasing the stigma surrounding mental health in her small town of Oneida.
"I'm just doing all I can do to keep someone else from feeling and going through the experience I've had to go through," she said. "My whole family is never going to be the same because of this."
Zackary's fiancé, Shae Honeycutt, is also on a mission to help others.
"I know what they're going through so I can be there for them," Honeycutt said.
She wants people to take suicide seriously, and realize they can help prevent tragedies in the future.
"It only takes one phone call that could change the whole outcome of everything, if you just reach out," said King. "You're not alone. There are people out there, there are resources out there."
HOTLINES
If you have an immediate emergency or are in a serious crisis, dial 911.
Emotional Support Line: 888-642-7886, available from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. every day
State crisis line: 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) or text "TN" to 741-741
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
Peer Recovery Call Center: 1-865-584-9125 between 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Lifeline Crisis Chat: Chat online with a specialist who can provide emotional support, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention services www.crisischat.org/
Lifeline ofrece 24/7, gratuito servicios en español, no es necesario hablar ingles si usted necesita ayuda. Cuando usted llama al número 1-888-628-9454, su llamada se dirige al centro de ayuda de nuestra red disponible más cercano.