|
Vernon Stickman at Tanana High School on Feb. 22, 2013. (KTUU-TV / February 26, 2013) |
A Tanana man is planning a second long-distance walk to raise awareness of Alaska suicides.
56-year-old Vernon Stickman last year ran and walked about 175 miles from Tanana to Ruby and Galena.
This year he will take a snowmobile most of the way to Ruby to avoid a rough trail. But after Ruby, he plans to walk to Galena, Koyukuk, Nulato and Kaltag, accompanied by a support crew.
Stickman's 22-year-old son committed suicide in September 2010.
Stickman says when there's a suicide in a village, it's not just one family that experiences pain. He says it's devastating to everyone.
Stickman tells the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/XxJmHk) that he and his wife want to speak in villages about suicide prevention for teenagers, young adults and elders.
His trip will begin Friday.
