KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Candice White said her son, Parker Koerner, was a loving person and kind soul. Parker lost his life to suicide at the age of 19 in November 2021.
"Probably the most non-judgmental young man that I ever knew," White shared. "He was an old soul in a young body."
On Sunday, White joined the 20th-annual Suicide Awareness Survivor Support (SASS-MoKan) Remembrance Walk at Loose Park in Kansas City, Missouri, to keep her son's memory alive.
"I find peace and comfort — I feel Parker out here with us," White said. "Although I'm saddened that these other people out here have experienced the same heartbreak, it is nice to know that you don't walk alone in this journey, because it can be a very lonely journey."
The remembrance walk supports those who have lost loved ones to suicide while raising funds for suicide awareness, education, prevention and survivor support in the Kansas City area.
Bonnie and Mickey Swade founded SASS-MoKan and created the event two decades ago after losing their son, Brett Swade, to suicide.
"We took the approach of helping people who have lost someone, and we facilitate a support group — we've been facilitating it for 20 years now," Mickey Swade said.
The walk first debuted with 80-100 people, continually growing through the years up until the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Bonnie Swade.
Starting this year, the Swades stepped down from overseeing the Remembrance Walk. They have passed the torch on to a new organizer, Tony Medina, who lost his sister, Unity, to suicide.
Nevertheless, the couple continues to attend the event knowing the difference it makes to Kansas Citians who have lost a loved one to suicide.
"They come here feeling like the lone ranger, [like] they're the only ones going through this," Mickey Swade said. "They start talking to other people and they find out real quick that everybody's got something in common in that they've lost someone to suicide."
White shared that for her, reaching out to someone and finding help made all the difference.
"This situation with my son has sent me on a path and there are so many great resources out there," she said. "If the rest of my life can save just one person with my story, then Parker's legacy lives on."
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