ASU student and Navy veteran aims to promote community walk on campus to help prevent suicide
Marco Cancemi is a senior at Arizona State University, studying biological sciences in pursuit of his dream of attending medical school. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight years before beginning his journey as a student. Although Cancemi was successful in transitioning from military to civilian life, that is not always the case. In fact, it’s typically far from it.
According to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, about 22 veterans die by suicide every day, which results in around 8,000 deaths per year. Cancemi himself has known three friends from the Navy who have succumbed to suicide. The switch from a structured, disciplined environment in the military to a more independent lifestyle can be so jarring, making many veterans feel as though it is an insurmountable adjustment.
“To be successful and get through a military contract, you have to have discipline, you have to respect authority and you're told where to be and when not just for work but with your medical appointments, your dental appointments and your administrative obligations,” Cancemi said. “Sometimes the job that (a veteran) had in the military might not have a lot of skills that translate to the civilian sector. They could have developed mental health disorders while they're in, like PTSD, or injuries that can impact your day-to-day life.”
Cancemi knows firsthand how this change can deeply affect veterans and wants to do all he can to lower these staggering suicide rates. Years ago, when he was stationed in Charleston, North Carolina, Cancemi attended an “Out of the Darkness Walk” in an attempt to learn how to help people who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) hosts these walks in communities, college campuses and high schools across the country. People band together on a symbolic journey to honor those who have died by suicide and show support to those who have survived it. AFSP also raises funds at each walk that are dedicated toward suicide prevention.
These walks often take place on college campuses because depression and suicide significantly impact students. The AFSP reports that suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college students in the United States, with approximately 24,000 students attempting to take their lives per year and 1,100 ending their lives.
Cancemi thinks asking for help can be the most difficult step for those struggling with depression, and this walk aims to help people build up the courage to do so.
“By gathering those people and having those talks about mental health, about providing resources for mental health, the aim is to destigmatize the hesitation that many people experience with seeking help once they've identified that they're not doing great,” Cancemi said. “We're here to have those talks, and having those tough talks is a lot easier than losing someone you care about to suicide.”
ASU is one of the many schools where the walk is hosted. After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the Out of the Darkness Walk has been presented annually at ASU since 2022 by the AFSP in collaboration with student leaders affiliated with ASU’s Devils 4 Devils. Last year, the event saw 306 people join the walk and raised $19,610.57 for the cause, exceeding the $15,000 goal.
The 2025 walk will take place on March 22, 2025, at 11 a.m., starting at the Student Services Lawn in Tempe and progressing on a mile-long route throughout the campus. Donations can be made to the campaign on the AFSP website. With more than a month to go until the walk, it has already garnered over $2,000 and aims to break a goal of $20,000.
Cancemi, the student chair for the 2025 walk at ASU, is responsible for spreading awareness, rallying student participation, and serving as the bridge between the community and event organizers. Through these efforts, he hopes to highlight available support and resources for students and veterans while finding a personal sense of healing in honoring the friends he has lost.
“When I think of my friends, when I reflect on that, I feel very helpless, and that's very frustrating,” Cancemi said. “So by sending this message that we're here to help, it helps me resolve that frustration and hopefully will lead to more people being willing to seek help when they need it.”
Cancemi encourages people from all demographics and backgrounds to attend, even if they haven’t been personally affected by suicide. These walks have touched Cancemi’s life and taught him an important lesson about reaching out to those in need.
“Always make sure you know you're checking on the people you care about,” Cancemi said.
“Don't hesitate to reach out. Sometimes, the most important thing that you can do is to ask on your own volition. The act of just asking them shows that you care, it shows that you're there for them and asking if someone's okay can save a life.”
Resources for ASU students:
ASU Counseling Services, call +1 (480)965-6146, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
ASU Counseling Services Open Call and Open Chat
ASU’s dedicated crisis line through EMPACT, available 24/7, call +1 (480)921-1006
Resources for the community:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 988, for Veterans press 1
LGBTQ Crisis Line - Trevor Project, call +1 (866)488-7386
Crisis Text Line, text TALK (8255) to 741741
Teen Lifeline, call or text +1 (602)248-8336 (TEEN)
Arizona Crisis Lines
Photography by Thomas Padden, ASU Student Life