27-01-2025
Anderson County suicide rates increase
ANDERSON, S.C. (WSPA) – The Anderson County Coroner's Office wants to remind the community there is help for anyone contemplating suicide.
According to the coroner, six people have committed suicide already this year, which is 16 percent of last year's total.
'In 2022, we had 34 suicides. 2023, we had 38. In 2024, we had 37,' said Alyssa Whitfield. 'A lot of the elderly people are really vulnerable and also younger kids. In the past ten years, our youngest one has been 11 and then our oldest has been 91.'
Sharon Orvis tragically lost her son David Johnson to suicide on June 6, 2016.
'He was a great child. He was funny. He was lovable. You would never, ever think that he would have done this,' said Orvis.
Orvis works for Behavioral Health Services in Anderson. She said working with children with mental health issues is her passion and so is sharing her son's story, so that other parents do not have to experience the same kind of pain.
'As a parent of someone that has committed suicide, look out for other people you can talk to in the community,' said Orvis. 'I'm in a very good support group of parents of suicide victims. I have seen kids as young as ten all the way up to about 80.'
Sometimes, there aren't clear ways to know if someone is considering ending their life.
'I've gone back to that date, I went back to the week before. The week before that. I never saw any signs. Never saw anything. He was the typical DJ and that's what makes it hard because I didn't see any signs,' said Orvis.
The coroner's office suggests reaching out to family and friends often to check on their mental health, especially if they use drugs or seem uninterested in hobbies they used to be excited about.
'If you ask them if they're thinking about killing themselves, it doesn't increase the chance. Research has shown that it actually is better for that person because it lets them know that somebody cares about them,' said Whitfield.
Orvis continues to think of her son everyday and not let his name live in vain.
'I have two grandkids by DJ, one is 10 and one is 8. He's missing out on a lot. He's missed birthdays, Christmas, any holiday. He's missed out. You don't realize what they're going to miss, what you're going to see, or how you're going to feel when the day comes,' said Orvis.
The National Suicide Hotline is 988. You can text or call at any time.
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