September Suicide Prevention Month: No One Farms Alone
Updated: 17 hours ago
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and for Farmer Angel Network, this work is deeply personal.
Our FAN chapters grew from heartbreaking loss in our farming communities. Leon Statz, Brian Webster and Myles Reichling were farmers, family members, friends and neighbors whose lives mattered deeply. Their deaths by suicide — and the families and communities who continue to carry their memories — are part of the reason Farmer Angel Network exists and continues to grow.
We remember Leon, Brian and Myles not simply for how they died, but for how they lived, who they loved and the difference their lives made.
Their stories remind us why it matters to notice when someone is struggling. To stop by. To listen. To ask again. To help make the phone call. To bring supper. To connect someone with support. And sometimes simply to sit beside someone on a hard day.
That is what Farmer Angel Network is about: farmers, families and communities looking out for one another so no one has to carry the hard stuff alone.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Call or text 988, or call the 24/7 Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Helpline at 888-901-2558.
Resource Roundup
Suicide Prevention Month is also a good time to know what resources are available — before you or someone you care about needs them.
Wisconsin farmers and farm family members can access the 24/7 Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Helpline at 888-901-2558 for free and confidential support.
The Wisconsin Farm Center also offers free telehealth and in-person counseling, farmer support groups and other services specifically for Wisconsin farm families.
The American Farm Bureau Federation's Farm State of Mind initiative released a new five-part video series throughout September for Suicide Prevention Month.
Finding Hope Together features farmers and rural mental health advocates talking about real-life challenges, resilience, community and practical ways we can better support one another.
Mid-West Farm Report and Rural Mutual Insurance featured a special farmer mental health series with Brian Reisinger, Randy Roecker, McKenna Reichling and Dorothy Harms. The four stories share personal perspectives on farm stress, suicide loss, asking for help and the importance of connection.
