The Overnight Experience

Imagine thousands of people walking from dusk to dawn –
All united in a mission to prevent suicide
 

Whether it's your first time participating or you've walked with us every year, the Out of the Darkness Overnight is an experience unlike any other. It’s a night to remember and honor those we have lost and to bring the issues of suicide and mental illness out of the darkness and into the light. The Overnight is also an opportunity to meet and connect with a community of survivors—a community that is not only supportive, but allows for a very healing and powerful experience and an opportunity to share one another's stories. For many this is the first time they will be joining with this like minded community. 

In this post, Overnight alumna Hannah Moch shares why she first started participating in the Overnight. Recently, Hannah has turned her long time involvement with the Overnight into an internship with AFSP, and since sharing her story with us has become a member of our dedicated staff.

© Kerry Payne

“The Overnight came into my consciousness almost a year after I became a survivor of suicide loss. On March 29th, 2006, my friend and middle school classmate, Malaya, died by suicide. She was only thirteen. Still reeling three months after her death, I think our teachers didn’t know how to balance honoring Malaya and keeping graduation the celebratory event it was supposed to be, so when we left I felt like we hadn’t really gotten the chance to honor her. That’s why the Overnight was such an exciting opportunity. With her name and photo printed on my shirt and on my luminaria, I really felt like I was doing justice to her memory.”

Hannah also shares a glimpse of what the support along the Overnight route is like (even as a solo Walker):

“The last walk I did, in DC last June, was my first time walking alone. It’s certainly a different experience than walking with a group. This was particularly true because it was also my first walk in a place other than NYC. It’s hard to ever really feel loneliness during the Overnight and there are a couple reasons for this. The first is the simple truth of walking in a city, there are only small chunks of each walk where the participants are the only ones on the street. The second is the fact that you are in this incredible pack of people. Even if every last one of them is a stranger, you know they understand some of what you have gone through and you know that they are there if you need them. The final reason is the volunteers. Twice during the night, I ended up between two groups of people, so that I was an outlier. It was something that, if it had bothered me I could of easily fixed by walking faster or slower but felt no need to. Both times, a volunteer on a bike came up to me and asked if I was doing okay. I was completely fine but knowing that they were there if I was not was incredibly motivating to me. It is so hard to be alone at the Overnight and this is a very good thing.”

Throughout your journey, you will be supported by a Walker Coach, training and fundraising assistance, a personal fundraising website, not to mention plenty of rest and quick stops throughout the evening of the Overnight to keep you going. To learn more about ways we support you, click here.

You can also start your Overnight journey with us today. Join us by clicking the registration buttons below and using the promotional code "MyJourney" to receive 30% off our regular registration fee until January 12th.

Remember, your Overnight Coaches are only an email or a phone call away. Call a Coach at 888-TheOvernight (888-843-6837) whenever you have a question, a doubt, a success story or an idea you want some help with. We are experts at inspiration, motivation, support, advice and most importantly, listening.

If you’d like to share your Overnight experience to be featured on our blog, please email us at coaches@theovernight.org