Steps4Sarah

In 2018, J staff member Sarah Segestrom died by suicide at the age of 16. The loss of Sarah had a profound impact on our community, with teens, parents, grandparents, and educators seeking support in helping themselves and those they care about through mental health struggles.

5 years ago, Sarah’s journey and memory inspired the creation of the Wellness Summit, a program with goals of opening up honest lines of communication around mental health and reducing the stigma around mental illness. Over the last five years, the Wellness Summit has been a forum for sharing grief, learning about the impact of mental health, and finding ways to cope as a community.

Here is what Sarah’s father, Mark Segerstrom, shared:

Unfortunately, I did not understand the depth of Sarah’s struggles until she was gone. 

I do not know why Sarah did not take advantage of help that was offered and available to her. She was a bright and attractive teenager capable of convincing anyone she was fine.  Her ability to charm anyone is one reason her story is so powerful. Sarah’s story does not line up with Hollywood’s depiction of mental health struggles.

When my daughter died there was a small piece of me that did not want anyone to ever discuss what happened to her and our family; I felt it did not deserve attention. Thankfully that thought did not control my actions and I made the decision to do the exact opposite: I allowed Sarah’s story to be open to the community for the benefit of the community. I share what happened to Sarah with anyone interested. My hope is that Sarah’s story encourages people to seek help and possibly empathize with the level of struggle that others may feel.

Helping to increase the availability and access to resources for managing mental health is also a way I can help prevent other families from experiencing this loss. Being a part of the Wellness Summit series—a program offering firsthand stories from survivors and shared wisdom of professionals in the field—has been beneficial for me to hear and I am positive it has helped others.

Another important step towards useful change is shifting our paradigms to eliminate any stigma associated with mental health. To reach this goal we must all work together to support those in need of help and spread the word that there is no shame in needing help. When Sarah died, I became a part of a society of suicide survivors. I was surprised at the number of people who shared their story with me of loved ones they had lost to suicide. Hearing these stories gave me additional courage to share Sarah’s story, because I do not want anyone else to join the group of suicide survivors.

Instead, I want to hear the stories of those who battled mental health issues and won.

This year, the Wellness Summit presents Step4Sarah: a wellness fair hosted at the Siegel JCC where the community can come out and complete 4 laps around the JLoop in Sarah’s memory. This family-friendly fair will feature helpful resources available for your physical and mental well-being. It is a fun and healthy way to form new connections, which will make our community stronger. 

Steps4Sarah will be held on Thursday, April 20th, 5-7 PM (rain date 5/2), on the Siegel JCC’s Outdoor Campus, in partnership with JFS Delaware and Jewish Federation of Delaware. For more info, please visit siegeljcc.org.