Every 40 seconds, a life ends as a result of suicide, according to a report by the World Health Organization. In fact, by the time you get to the end of this column, seven people will have died by their own hand.

It’s such a startling statistic that when I first heard it a week ago, I had to ask Google if it was in fact true. The unfortunate reality is that it is all too true. Here are two more facts: Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people ages 15 to 29, and for each person who dies from suicide, there are at least 20 others who’ve made an attempt.

I’m writing this column because — well, I have a platform to do so. I’ve never had a family member or friend die at their own hand, so I don’t consider myself directly impacted. But the numbers are startling and the fact that not enough is said about this and mental health issues is also startling.

I recently had the opportunity to hear my friend David Whisenant, who many of you watch on WBTV, share the story of the day his father, Jake Whisenant, died by suicide. I’d heard David disclose some of the circumstances of his father’s death, but I’d never had the opportunity to sit down and listen to him speak.

He was invited to speak to the Salisbury Police Department during Suicide Prevention Week. In attendance were a number of officers, city employees and others interested to hear about a subject many are afraid to talk about.

Jake Whisenant owned a furniture and appliance business just a few blocks from where David has a downtown office. Jake served in the Navy during World War II, was active in church, and was loved and respected by many in the community. He never seemed “depressed” or exhibited any “warning signs,” David said.

No one would’ve ever thought he’d die from suicide.

“I think, ‘How did I miss this?'” David said.

David, like many left behind, is constantly faced with questions that will never be answered. Why? is the No. 1 question, and “Could I have prevented it?” is another.

His dad died in 1987, and 30-plus years later it’s like it happened yesterday, he said.

I know David doesn’t like unmasking the pain by talking about his father’s death, but he’ll never turn down an opportunity if it means someone will rethink their decision.

Anytime David has an opportunity to tell someone, anyone, about suicide, his most important words are, “Don’t do it.” Don’t put your spouse, children, family and friends in the position to deal with the aftermath. Don’t let them go through life trying to answer questions that they’ll never answer. Don’t leave them behind with their sadness, disbelief or anger.

The critical point of his message is for those contemplating suicide, there is always light out of the darkness. It may seem like whatever you’re going through is the worst that could happen, but it’s not. It may feel as though everyone would be better without you, but they won’t.

“Don’t let it be an option,” David said.

He mentioned the stigma of suicide during his talk. It’s one of the mental health issues that people are hesitant to discuss. But I believe it should be at the top of the list. It should be addressed in schools because, believe it or not, children as young as 10 (some even younger) take their own lives.

We should be talking about suicide at our churches and places of worship. We should be talking about mental wellness and suicide prevention at the office and at home.

He encouraged people to talk to someone — a friend, counselor, pastor — but just don’t do the unthinkable. There are 800 numbers with people there to listen and support you 24/7. The number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255.

Police Capt. Brian Stallings suggested to those gathered to contact law enforcement if you know someone who should be checked on and you don’t know what to do. Officers can conduct welfare checks to make sure someone is all right. The department has a number of crisis intervention officers who can talk with individuals who are considering suicide.

I had the opportunity to speak with Vickie Eddleman, a traffic engineering coordinator with the city of Salisbury. She shared her own experience about losing her father to suicide. At the time, her family refused to acknowledge that his death was no more than just an accident, she said.

She said there should be many more means of educating the community about suicide because it is about more than just being sad. Some people suffer from depression, some teens are bullied and some people don’t have coping mechanisms to handle stress for different reasons.

Eddleman said there needs to be more open conversation and people need to start sharing their experiences in order to break down the barrier and stigma.

This Saturday, Rowan County United Way hopes to shed light on the subject of suicide with a suicide/mental health walk. The “Into the Light” walk will begin at 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of Fisher and Main streets. Participants will walk toward the Wallace Education Forum, 500 N. Main St., as the sun rises. Day-of registration for the Into the Light walk begins at 5:30 a.m. and is $30, which includes a T-shirt and breakfast.

After the walk, there will be a breakfast and speakers, including David Whisenant; Janet Johnson, whose son, Phillip, 33, died of suicide; and Crystal Hobbs, who lost her 15-year-old son, Tristen, to suicide. The program will raise money for local mental health programs.

This week, the United Way kicked off its campaign with a goal of $1,525,963. The last three numbers represent the number of local emergency calls first responders received in the first eight months of this year that dealt with suicide or mental health issues.

So I’m going to end this with the words of my friend David that really get to the heart of the matter.

Don’t do it.

For more information about suicide prevention and ways to find help for a friend or loved one, visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/.