Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk
2019 Overnight Walk — Boston, MA
June 22–23, 2019 · Boston, Massachusetts
To the 2019 Tommy Fuss Team
Thank you to each and every one of you for participating in the Tommy Fuss Team's 13th Overnight Walk. I am so proud to have been a part of this extraordinary event with such an outstanding Team again this year. Together we were definitely Boston Strong with 26 walkers, 10 crew members and hundreds of donors and supporters.
Thank you for remembering Tommy in this special way. Your continued love, dedication and support to our family means so much to all of us and is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for your fundraising efforts and your own personal donations. Together we were successful in raising awareness, supporting survivors and raising over $70,000.00 for the important work of the AFSP.
Thank you to our walkers who walked 17 miles through our beloved Boston. I hope your journey gave you peace and a sense of accomplishment as you walked for a common cause — to honor those we have lost to suicide, and to support those whose fight continues.
Thank you to our Crew Team who worked into the early morning hours providing nutrition, hydration, encouragement and support to over 1,600 walkers at Midnight Snack on Castle Island.
Thank you to our Bike Support Team who patrolled the route throughout the night to ensure the safety of all the walkers.
Thank you to Joe for all the behind the scene artwork, website design and updates, hundreds of photos, and his famous instructions to "scooch" together for our annual team pictures. I can't wait to view everyone's photos from such a beautiful night.
And above all, thank you to RoseMary and Dan for hosting us in Boston and being the Team's backbone and support. Once again their courage, strength, love and friendship has been our guiding star to bring issues of mental health and suicide Out of the Darkness.
With sincerest regards and heartfelt thanks, Valerie
2019 Overnight Boston Photo Gallery
13 years and still going strong, Boston Strong! The Tommy Fuss Team is back on home ground this year in Boston for our 13th annual Overnight Walk. What a tremendous tribute to Tommy and the goals of the AFSP.
Fenway Park is located in Boston near Kenmore Square. Since 1912, it's been the home for the Boston Red Sox, the city's American League baseball team. It's the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.
The Red Sox-Yankees rivalry will be hot this year, according to Dan Shaughnessy in the Boston Globe. Botticelli is showcased at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. The Museum of Science is presenting Defeating Disease, an exhibit about "…the progress that has been made over time to defeat infectious diseases."
The Tommy Fuss Team is working to fight a disease, too. The most optimistic way to view suicide prevention efforts is also to look at "the progress that has been made over time." The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention was founded by a group of families and scientists in 1987. Today they are the largest private funder of suicide prevention research, built on a platform of Support, Research, Education and Advocacy. More than a million people are part of the movement the AFSP started.
The conversation over suicide prevention has moved from the shadows into the mainstream. In part, due to 32 years of work by the AFSP. Understanding is growing that this a public health issue. The need to reach young adults, teens and children is also more urgent than ever. There's still so much more to do.
But we should remain optimistic. As the AFSP says, This is a Fight We Can Win!
We've got a great roster of walkers and crew members for 2019, warming up in the bullpen. We've got all-star talent eagerly returning for the new season, along with some promising rookies. Not to mention the deep bench strength of all those who support the efforts of the Tommy Fuss Team.