“I Know a Guy”: Getting Through the Storm Thanks to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Volunteers

When we think about the work we do at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we immediately think of our volunteers. They are the heart of everything we accomplish. That feels especially true in April, as we celebrate National Volunteer Week during the third week of the month.

Across the country, through AFSP’s network of local chapters, volunteers make it possible for us to show up for people in their darkest moments. They lead loss and healing programs, power our education and advocacy efforts, champion our Out of the Darkness Walks, and extend hope into communities every single day.

This year, as we reflect on the extraordinary impact of volunteers, we find ourselves especially grateful for one remarkable individual who has served our Louisiana Chapter for over a decade. Though he's retiring after many years of devoted service, Allen “Bubba” Randall remains close to heart — always.

Bubba and his wife, Renee, lost their beloved son, Jessie, to suicide in 2015. His AFSP volunteer journey began with a simple call to the Louisiana Chapter. His grief was indescribable. He "had" to put his grief to action, rolling up his sleeves to join one of the first AFSP Out of the Darkness Community Walks in the state, located in Greater Baton Rouge, LA. Here he first experienced the powerful sense of community at the heart of our mission.

Moved by the realization that he wasn’t alone, Bubba felt called to help others find that same connection and hope. He became involved in the Healing Conversations program, eventually chairing that committee. He conducted outreach to local sheriff’s departments, completed multiple chapter trainings, and eventually became a presenter for AFSP’s flagship education program, Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention.

Bubba went on to serve as chair of the Louisiana board of directors and of the Greater Baton Rouge Out of the Darkness Community Walk. He led Loss & Healing initiatives as the state’s Healing Conversations Coordinator, served on AFSP’s national Loss and Healing Council, and lent his well-renowned "Bubba" voice to our public policy advocacy.

His journey is a powerful reminder that one person can make a difference in so many ways through volunteering with AFSP.

The impact he has made, and the legacy he leaves us, is immeasurable.

Won't you consider doing the same?

Bubba’s volunteer tenure with AFSP Louisiana demonstrates how anyone can make an impact simply by doing what they love. Bubba’s dedicated countless hours to our chapter and helped fuel nearly every part of our mission. He’s been the kind of volunteer who will help you set up a canopy tent for a Walk, ask a business for a gift to support our mission, and provide a caring space for individuals who have lost someone to suicide, knowing from firsthand experience what that person might be going through. And he makes a pretty good gumbo.

However, a particularly cherished memory of Bubba is of working with him during the 2021 Walk season.

Louisiana had a rough go of it from 2020-2021. In those two summers, we experienced six named storms (two of which grew to devastating category four hurricanes) in addition to a global pandemic. Months of evacuations, storm damage, cleanups, lockdowns, and uncertainty tested the resolve of even the most seasoned bayou residents.

When we and Bubba (who was then chair of the Greater Baton Rouge Community Walk) started planning early for our return to having an in-person event at long last, we were so excited to share the news with our Walkers. After everything Louisiana had been through, we knew how important our event was for our special community to connect again, and to send a message to the community as a whole that when it comes to suicide, no one has to face their challenges alone.

But then, on August 29, 2021 — the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina — Hurricane Ida, a category four storm with winds reaching 150 mph, landed in Lafourche Parish.

The storm devastated communities across southeast Louisiana, leaving businesses shuttered, homes destroyed, and thousands displaced. Just weeks before our event, we discovered our Walk venue was being used as a staging site for the region’s storm debris and would not be available for use for several months.

We have a motto in Louisiana: “Laissez le bon temps rouler,” which translates from French to, “Let the good times roll.” The phrase is often used to encourage revelry, but it also celebrates the resilience and perseverance of Louisianans. Even during the hardest times, we keep on rolling and somehow manage to help each other find joy.

Discovering we needed a new Walk venue with less than a month to go, I knew Bubba would roll with it. When I broke the news to him, he quickly replied: “I know a guy at Jambalaya Park in Gonzales…”

You always know things will be okay when someone says, “I know a guy…”

A few days later, Bubba got approval from the city council to host the event, and we called every Walker to let them know about the venue change. Bubba even got the city to donate the space and equipment, saving our chapter critical funds. On a humid Saturday morning, Bubba stood up in front of hundreds at Jambalaya Park to honor his son Jessie, share his family’s story of healing, celebrate the power of our community, bring awareness to our mission, and continue creating community.

Our theme for this year at AFSP happens to be “The Power of Community.” Community is what helps us heal and grow. It gets us through the most challenging times and can help us keep “rolling.” Volunteers like Bubba personify the spirit of community and help foster hope and healing for so many. As special as Bubba is, he’s just one individual example.

In recognition of National Volunteer Week, we would like to say on behalf of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to all our amazing volunteers like Bubba — the dedicated hearts that thwart any obstacle to keeping hope alive when things are at their darkest — we thank YOU! We see you at every committee meeting and every event. We see you care for every loss survivor. We see you helping to save lives every day. Thank you, our volunteers, for creating a community in which we can learn, heal, hope, and fight for everyone affected by suicide.

And to anyone reading this and considering volunteering for AFSP: there is a community of people right here waiting for you.

Meghan Goldbeck is the Executive Director of AFSP’s Louisiana Chapter.

Mary Jean Coleman is the Interim Vice President of AFSP’s Southern Division.

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Learn more about volunteering for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention here.

Read more about Bubba’s journey, in his own words, here.