Construction Hike for Hope: How Two AFSP Volunteers Joined Forces to Fight Suicide in Their Industry

When I was 45 years old, a caring phone call thankfully prevented me from taking my own life. I lived with that secret for 14 years. But once I began telling my story, my life changed.

I work in construction: a harsh, competitive, macho industry where we don’t often share our emotions. I asked myself how I could further deepen the conversation to educate others about preventing suicide. I heard about AFSP’s Out of the Darkness Walks, and asked myself, "What if we did a local construction walk in the Sarasota area?" But why stop there? I asked other members of the Florida construction industry if they’d like to be involved. That quickly evolved into a statewide AFSP Construction Hike for Hope at five locations in Florida.

Now that Florida was a success, the next step in the mission was to go national. I reached out to industry friends to gauge their interest. Rob Labbe in New York told me to count him in, and he was off and running.

I’ve personally witnessed the impact of this issue on family, friends, and colleagues. One of my greatest challenges — and greatest joys — has been encouraging some of the toughest, most independent people in construction to accept that, "It’s okay to not be okay." Since many of us spend more time with colleagues than with our own families, it’s important to notice when someone isn’t themselves, and step in to support one another.

When I learned about Vince’s work with Construction Hike for Hope and was asked to expand the event to the Northeast, I immediately saw it as an opportunity to bring people together in a new way. The Bear Mountain Construction Hike for Hope was born — a destination where participants could unplug from devices, reconnect with others, and share a day filled with meaning.

What began as a construction-driven initiative has grown into something larger. Today, Construction Hike for Hope events across the country welcome not only workers from the construction industry, but also their families, friends, veterans, neighbors, and construction industry supporters such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.

It’s become a true community gathering, uniting people across backgrounds and experiences with the purpose of encouraging the community to lean on each other and look out for each other.

At its heart, the Construction Hike for Hope is more than just an event. It’s a symbol of connection, resilience, and shared responsibility. It’s proof that when people come together, hope multiplies.