GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Buchholz High School (BHS) is hosting a 5k in support of those battling mental health and in honor of a Gainesville teen who lost his battle with mental illness, and they want you to participate!
The STRIDE Color Run 5k will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Trinity United Methodist Church located at 4000 NW 53rd Ave. in Gainesville. The event begins at 9 a.m.
It’s the sixth year for the annual color run that honors the memory of a young man who battled mental illness.
In 2017, 22-year-old Ryan Layne Howell lost his life to suicide. According to the race website, over 48,000 individuals died by suicide in 2021. The school’s project “STRIDE” focuses on highlighting this issue and raising awareness about the importance of mental wellness.
They began the 5k run in honor of Ryan.
A GoFundMe page which raises money to support a memorial scholarship details Ryan’s struggle with mental illness.
His family says during his senior year of high school, mental illness and addiction began to affect Ryan’s life. Ryan’s family used treatment resources within the city, but then began to seek treatment throughout the state due to the severity of his mental illness. At the age of 20, he was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, and was battling with addiction. He was considered “dually diagnosed” and treatment facilities for Ryan were ‘very few, very far away and very expensive’ according to the GoFundMe page.
The Howell Family was able to find a home for Ryan in Gainesville where he was their first “dually diagnosed” client.
“Ryan lived there for 14.5 months and was learning how to live a sober life with Schizophrenia as his loving family was learning how to transition as a family and support Ryan in his journey,” according to the GoFundMe.
His family says Ryan’s journey shows the need for better access to mental healthcare and for people battling addiction.
They created the Ryan Howell Memorial Scholarship to raise awareness and money to support living and treatment at the Next Recovery Program. They set a goal of raising $10,000. As of this writing, nearly 100 people have donated and the total is close to $8,000.
If you would like to make a donation, you can send checks to 5745 NW 80th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32653 with the check made payable to “Ryan Howell Memorial Scholarship, Inc.” You can also donate to the GoFundMe here.