“Afterglow”
by Carol Merkel
I’d like the Memory of me
To be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an Afterglow
Of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
Whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
And bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
To dry before the sun
Of happy memories
That I leave when life is done.
What is AFTERGLOW?
It’s a poem by Carol Merkel, which was a favorite of John Holzscheiter’s grandmother, Jean Williams, and was featured in her memorial service. When John’s son AJ took his life in 2018, it became a source of comfort for the family, and was included in AJ’s memorial service as well.
Afterglow can also describe the way the sky looks just after a sunset. When the sun slips below the horizon, and its final rays light up the underside of the clouds, we may stop to marvel at the brilliant and surprising shades of pink, orange, even purple. Even though the sun is no longer visible, its impact is breathtaking.
The idea of holding on to the bright light of happy memories, and of making something positive out of grief, inspired AJ’s family to create Afterglow -- a fundraising event to fight, prevent and gain awareness for suicide -- in AJ’s name.
What is Afterglow?
Afterglow can be described the way the sky looks just after a sunset. When the sun slips below the horizon, and its final warm rays light up the sky. Afterglow is the brilliant and surprising shades of pink, orange, red, and purple. Even though the sun is no longer visible, its impact is breathtaking, much like the warm memories of someone we have lost.
The Afterglow Foundation is a non-profit organization created by the family of AJ Holzscheiter. In 2020 Geri Barrows, also impacted by suicide, joined the Afterglow team to assist us in turning tragic loss into a legacy to help families avoid the pain of and to gain awareness and prevent suicide. Additionally, Afterglow aims to create, provide and educate parents, educators and coaches on how to talk to our kids about suicide.
Afterglow partners with Northwestern Counseling and Support Services and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Both NCSS and the AFSP will be onsite for Afterglow and will be presenting content during the show.
Proceeds from Afterglow will go to suicide programs at both NCSS and the AFSP and various youth programs.
Our Mission
We know it’s important to warn our kids about drugs, alcohol, drunk driving and unprotected sex. But many parents don’t counsel their children and teens about suicide – perhaps because they don’t want to suggest the idea, or because they can’t fathom the possibility of losing a child, or because they don’t know how to talk about it.
For the last two generations, parents, educators and coaches have had plenty of information on how to talk to kids about those other topics. But it’s only recently that suicide has risen to the forefront, and the available resources have some catching up to do.
So it is one of our goals, through Afterglow, to help local mental health organizations create these tools and talking points so that families can be better prepared to have the tough conversations with their kids about suicide. We want our kids to understand that “it’s OK to NOT BE OK” – to know where to go for help – and to not feel any shame in doing so.
Preventing suicide, and supporting good mental health in young people, takes many forms.
It may mean:
· Investing in local recreational facilities, so that kids grow up being active and knowing how much being outdoors and being physically active can boost their mood and self-esteem.
· Providing more organized activities after school, so kids can be safe, supervised, and in the company of others.
· Creating educational programs in schools, so that students get a curriculum about mental health in addition to physical health.
· Providing extra support to young athletes, like AJ, who are sidelined from sports due to injury or illness.
· Creating an awareness among parents, teachers, coaches, doctors and physical therapists that being sidelined from sports can have significant mental and social impacts on a young, injured athlete.
These are all initiatives that Afterglow supports.
Specific activities are determined by local communities and the groups that come together around fundraising ideas. If you have an idea for an event that could help raise money and/or awareness for suicide prevention, please reach out.