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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.