Lexi's legacy: Students hold event in honour of late friend
Lexi's legacy: Students hold event in honour of late friend
A pair of high school students put their heart and soul into a five-kilometre walk and run on Sunday to honour their friend Lexi Daken.
The 16-year-old died by suicide in February 2021.
The grade 12 students from Leo Hayes High School organized the fundraiser as part of a school course, to honour Lexi's memory and to increase awareness for youth mental health.
Moments before the run began, event organizer and best friend Lujayn Abuamer said Lexi was someone special who had a great sense of humour and a unique laugh.
“No one could ever tell she was going through so much,” said Abuamer. “She was brave enough to be vulnerable and reach out for help multiple times and never got the help she required which is why we're doing this.”
Six days before her death, Lexi sought help at the emergency room of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton.
She waited eight hours to see a psychiatrist but was sent home without meeting with one.
The goal of Sunday's event was to improve the mental health system so other people don't have to go through what Lexi did.
Lexi’s father Chris Daken called it an emotional day.
“It's good to know that Lexi's voice is still out there and people are still thinking about her and her death wasn't necessarily in vain,” said Daken.
Rachel Ross-Hamilton was the other main co-organizer of the run. She said she wasn’t super close to Lexi, but seeing what her loss meant to others had a huge impact on her.
“Lujayn is one of my best friends and a lot of my other friends were very close to her and I've really seen how much that loss affected those friends and I'm really passionate about mental health. It's affected me a lot and I just wanted to help out the best I could,” said Ross-Hamilton.
Abuamer feels there has been a change in the way youth approach their mental health since Lexi’s death.
“Her story went viral, which was good, because it raised awareness a lot about youth mental health and people are now more aware but there's always room for improvement and that's why we're doing this,” said Abuamer.
After Lexi's death, her family called for better mental health services for youth in hopes that what happened to her wouldn't happen to anyone else.
Daken isn't sure if he's seen any improvements since his daughter's death.
“You hear stories of people getting service right away, then you hear stories of people still having to wait and not getting the call for mental health, so I hope there's been improvements, but I honestly can't say that there has,” said Daken.
There were around 150 participants Sunday, much more than what Daken was expecting. He says he was overwhelmed and touched by the turnout.
All proceeds from Sunday's 5K walk/run will go to the Capital Region Mental Health and Addictions organization.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, here are some available resources:
Crisis Services Canada (1-833-456-4566 or text 45645)
Centre for Suicide Prevention (1-833-456-4566)
Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)
Nova Scotia Health Crisis Line (1-888-429-8167)
If you need immediate assistance, please call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
The federal government has set aside billions of dollars to quickly build affordable housing across the country, but delays in construction suggest many of the projects approved for funding are missing their deadlines.
When President Joe Biden signed a bill last year to fight gun violence -- the first such measure to pass Congress in a generation -- a substantial majority supported it. But 78 per cent said they believed it would do little or nothing at all, a survey by the Pew Research Center found.
The Memphis police chief on Saturday disbanded the unit whose officers beat to death Tyre Nichols as the nation and the city struggled to come to grips with video showing police pummelling the Black motorist.
After years of reports and allegations detailing a 'toxic' workplace, Canada's RCMP says it is trying to evolve, focusing on diversity in its organization and repairing relationships with communities as it marks its 150th anniversary.
When 1990s suede fringe jackets started making a comeback last year, a U.K.-based vintage clothing company decided to order four tonnes of suede from a supplier in the United States. Along with that shipment came a once-in-a lifetime discovery.
When the cold and snow have people hunkering down, these outdoor enthusiasts find motivation in braving the Canadian winter through community and sport.
Tyre Nichols' fatal encounter with police officers in Memphis, Tenn., recorded in video made public Friday night, is a glaring reminder that efforts to reform policing have failed to prevent more flashpoints in an intractable epidemic of brutality.
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Late Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion is being remembered for the many ways she contributed to not only to the city she led for 36 years, but also the province.
The Hitmen return to the Seven Chiefs Sportsplex helped a little as the team collected a point in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Saskatoon Blades Saturday afternoon on Tsuut'ina Nation.
Anti-poverty activists are praising the Quebec basic income program as a good step toward helping people meet their basic needs — but say strict eligibility criteria exclude many of the province’s lowest-income residents.
Some Indigenous communities in Quebec that are patrolled by provincial police say the established system does not fully meet security needs and needs improvement.
A ceremony will be held this evening to mark the sixth anniversary of Quebec City's deadly mosque shooting. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, several senior federal cabinet ministers and Quebec Premier Francois Legault are among those expected to attend.
An organization helping Ukrainian newcomers settle into their new lives in Edmonton is hosting a furniture donation blitz to help restock their warehouse.
Canadian police chiefs condemned on Friday the death of a Black man who was savagely beaten by police during a traffic stop in the United States, saying the officers involved must be held accountable.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos insists the federal government is going to 'work flexibly' with the provinces on the terms of a possible health-care funding deal and avoid 'micromanaging' how they deliver health care to Canadians.
W5 goes deep into the narco heartland to interview a commander with one of Mexico's most brutal cartels. W5's documentary 'Narco Avocados' airs Saturday at 7 pm on CTV.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
Former Mississauga, Ont. mayor Hazel McCallion, nicknamed 'Hurricane Hazel,' has died. She was 101 years old. Premier Doug Ford said McCallion died peacefully at her home early Sunday morning.
The supporters outnumbered the protesters more than 20-to-one. As drag queen Amanda Villa prepared to sing and read to children in Sarnia, a small group of protesters marched outside, while more than 100 supporters of the rally “All You Need is Love” spent time chasing them around the parking lot, and having peaceful discussions about acceptance and hate.
Only a few days after a large winter weather system rolled through southern Ontario, Environment Canada has once again issued a special weather statement for the London region, warning of a snow-rain mix expected to begin Saturday night.
As extreme cold weather brings wind chill values nearing -40°C, it's impacting everything from winter recreation to the city's most vulnerable population.
OPS and Ottawa Bylaw officers issued 117 parking tickets and 47 Provincial Offences Notices Saturday, as hundreds of people marked the one-year anniversary of the 'Freedom Convoy'.
Ottawa police are warning the public of the dangers of texting explicit images to people on social media platforms, after seeing a spike in sextortion cases this winter.
A former Kelowna nurse has been disciplined by her professional college for her inadequate response to an unresponsive person at the entrance of the emergency department where she was working in September 2021.
BC Emergency Health Services saw a slight decline in 911 calls for overdose and drug toxicity last year, but some areas saw a dramatic increase, and the death rate doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
