September is Suicide Prevention Month, and for Erica Gifford Mills, the message is deeply personal. After losing her son, U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Conner Mills, to suicide, she founded Rooted In Service, a nonprofit dedicated to military mental health awareness, advocacy, education, and suicide prevention.
This month, Mills is encouraging the community to move beyond awareness and into action. On September 13, she will host Mini-Ruck: Louder Than the Silence, a 2.2-mile walk in Greendale honoring service members and veterans lost to suicide. She will also premiere her short documentary, ROOTED: Pain Into Purpose, on September 18, sharing her journey from grief to advocacy. Through both events, Mills hopes to inspire honest conversations about mental health and remind people that seeking help is a sign of strength.