Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
“We saw how much it hurt us and how much it affected our community, and we don’t want that to happen to other people,” Phi Kappa Tau President Thomas Holliman said.
Last August, Mississippi State University lost not just a student, but a friend, a loved one and a brother of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.
Maxwell Curtis Pennebaker was 19 years old when he took his own life, and in remembrance of him, the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and several other Greek organizations on campus teamed up to host an inaugural Suicide Awareness Walk.
The walk was held on Sept. 10, which was declared World Suicide Prevention Day in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization.
Students and community members were invited to Chadwick Lake for the two-hour event Tuesday night, which encouraged people to come together as one body and have honest conversations about mental health.
“We wanted to create an environment where people could talk about not just how to prevent it, not just how to look out for signs of it,” Phi Kappa Tau President Thomas Holliman said, “but really to walk through it with each other and be there for each other.”
While promoting the awareness walk on their social media, the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity sought to break the silence on the suicide and depression rates of males in America.
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), over six million men suffer from depression each year but less than half receive help, and over four times more men than women die by suicide every year.
“We want to create a culture in which mental health problems are recognized, in which they’re talked about. Prevention is the best protection,” Phi Kappa Tau Philanthropy Chair Jack James said.
Before the walk officially commenced at 5:30 p.m., hundreds of people poured in and scattered around the Chadwick Lake walking trail. Some walked alone, while others banded together, but the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity noted that the immense support is something they are grateful for.
“I’m just thankful. I’m so thankful for everyone who showed up,” Phi Kappa Tau fraternity brother Gregory Kendrick said. “From all of the sororities and fraternities to every non-Greek member, it was an amazing turnout.”
While the event was free to the public, people were encouraged to enter the $5 raffle or make a donation which went directly to the Max Pennebaker Memorial Annual Scholarship created by the Pennebaker family in honor of their son’s life.
As people continued to show up and give support, James recognized their hopes for the event had come to fruition.
“You see these people walking around and they’re having those conversations. They’re checking up on their friends. They’re checking up on their sisters, brothers and their family,” James said. “We want to take that from here at this event to our campus.”
While many students took advantage of the time to have those intentional conversations and reflect on the ones they have lost, Holliman and Kendrick pointed out how they will always honor and keep their beloved brother close to their hearts.
“There was a dance competition we had to do, and someone was doing bad, but [Pennebaker] said, ‘Hey! You don’t dance with your body, you dance with your heart.’ I just love that quote,” Kendrick said as he showed off his tattoo of those exact words with Pennebaker’s signature at the bottom.
Like Kendrick, Holliman has a similar tattoo with the same quote to remember his brother by.
“When I think of Max, I think of that quote specifically. He meant it in dancing, but it really means so much more than just dancing,” Holliman said. “Everything you do in your life, do it not because you’re going through the motions, not for achievement, not for goals, but do it because you want it. Do it because your heart wants it. Do it because God wants it.”
As the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity made one last lap around the lake, the sun began to set on the horizon.
“Hey, it’s Max!” said Kendrick with a smile, as he pointed and watched the red hues dancing across the sky and serving as a tribute to the special night dedicated to Max Pennebaker’s life.
