SLINGER, Wis. — Alarming numbers are coming out of Washington County when it comes to suicide deaths. According to the medical examiner's office, last year 33 people took their own lives, which has more than doubled since 2021.
Joe Hefter committed suicide in June, three days before his 19th birthday, leaving behind a family who loves him in Slinger.
"I never thought in my life I'd be going to a mass for my grandson," Joe's grandmother said. "It's not right."
Joe's parents, Neil and Cheyenn,e said their son loved snowboarding, working outside in landscaping, and loved hanging out with his family.
Watch: Slinger family starts fundraiser to honor their son, while Washington County suicide deaths more than double
"So often in getting the word out we hear the, 'I lost a father, mother, brother.''' Neil said. "And that's what's been overwhelming to me is how many people come up to us after this and say that they've lost somebody. It's just too much."
Cheyenne said she misses his laugh and the fun times they spent together goofing around with his brother.
"Joe is my biggest fan," she said "He was always my biggest supporter for everything. I think he was that for a lot of people."
In his memory and to keep themselves busy during their time of grief, the family started the Joe Hefter Memorial Entrepreneur Scholarship to help young people start their own business, something Joe was doing in landscaping.
"I just wanted something to remember Joe by," Cheyenne said. "Truly, it's my biggest fear is that people will forget him. So just to keep talking about him."
Their first fundraiser is a snowboard race on Saturday at Sunburst Ski Hill, where Joe was always on the slopes, competing in his favorite sport, boardercross.
"Make sure that dream just stays alive," Cheyene said.
Joe's best friend's mom, Jenn Leibson-Kent, said she and her son are still grieving but hoping this event helps other young men struggling with their mental health.
"Are we talking about it enough as a society?" TMJ4 asked her. "No. Especially not for young men or men at any age."
NAMI Washington County, a group dedicated to helping those struggling with mental health issues, will also be at the event and is supporting the Hefters as they continue to grapple with their grief, something they hope other people talk more openly about before it gets too dark to handle.
"They think that they're supposed to be strong, not supposed to cry and not supposed to have feelings," Leibson-Kent said. "So, they just internalize everything, and then they don't have anywhere else to go. They need more help."
"That's the one thing I wish I would've been able to help Joe with," Cheyenne said. "It's temporary. It's right now."
The fundraiser starts at 8 a.m. Saturday at Sunburst. If you're struggling, please call 988 for immediate help.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
