Forsyth County vigil honors South Forsyth student, urges mental health awareness

White-clad mourners filled Banjara Banquets in Cumming on May 10, turning a candlelight vigil into a public farewell for Saanvi Reddy Animasu, the 15-year-old South Forsyth High School freshman whose death by suicide has deepened grief across Forsyth County.

The gathering came after a funeral for Animasu was held April 26 at 2 p.m. at McDonald and Son Funeral Home in Cumming. She was born Jan. 11, 2011, and died April 24, 2026, at the age of 15. Family, friends and neighbors have described the loss as especially heavy in Forsyth County’s Indian American and Telugu communities, where the news spread quickly and many came forward to support the family.

Organizers asked attendees to wear white as a symbol of peace and healing. The vigil drew community members, friends of the family and local organizations that had spent the days after her death planning a space for mourning and reflection. It was both a memorial and a public call for more attention to teen mental health in a county where academic pressure, cultural expectations and stigma can keep young people from speaking openly about distress.

Community member Niranjan Rao urged solidarity with the Animasu family and said the moment should push more conversations about stress and mental health among young people. That message resonated with many who attended, as the loss of a freshman at South Forsyth High School raised painful questions about how families, schools and peers recognize warning signs and respond when a student is struggling.

For Forsyth County, the vigil was more than a moment of grief. It became a reminder that mental-health awareness is not abstract, but a matter of watching for risk, talking honestly about pressure and making sure help is available before a crisis becomes a tragedy.