Working to Prevent Suicide | Video

Michelle San Miguel | 7/5/2012

About every four days someone in North Dakota commits suicide. In recent years, the number of deaths by suicide in the state has continued to increase. In 2009, 89 people in North Dakota lost their lives to suicide. The following year, 103 people died by suicide.

We all know someone who has passed away, but when the death is caused by that person`s own intentional will it becomes even more painful to talk about.

"I think it scares people. Death is scary and it`s irreversible so I think people avoid the topic," said Micki Savelkoul.

Savelkoul lost her grandfather, Don, to suicide in 2010. The following year Don`s son, Kenny, took his own life. In retrospect, the family has learned how painful it had been for Kenny to cope with his father`s suicide.

"I think that he was certainly hurting more than he let on. And that`s one of the reasons that I think it`s so important to talk about suicide is because if somebody had said, `Are you thinking about suicide?` The outcome might not have changed, but at least it would have opened the door."

Savelkoul met Kursten Dienert less than a year ago doing suicide outreach work in the state and they quickly became friends.

Dienert lost her brother Kurt to suicide three years ago. On his 27th birthday Kurt took his life. While Kurt battled with drugs and alcohol for more than a decade, his sister says, in public, he put on a happy front. Dienert says she never thought her brother would have killed himself.

"There`s never an answer to the why. There are so many different things that lead to suicide that the why is just never answered so I healed and I grieved through helping others."

Since his death, she`s learned more about the warning signs of suicide. And now she`s made it her calling to educate others about suicide prevention.

Dienert and Savelkoul are co-chairing a golf tournament next Thursday in honor of Dienert`s brother, Kurt. The golf tournament is being held at the Apple Creek Country Club.

Registration is $100 per golfer. Proceeds go to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Tournament check-in is from 11:30 to 12:30. Tee off is at 1:00. Registration includes a meal that evening.

To register for the tournament e-mail nd.afsp.golftournament@gmail.com.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, you`re encouraged to call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255

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