Nearly 1,000 join Morrisville walk for mental health awareness

Nearly 1,000 people filled Perimeter Park in Morrisville on Saturday, turning NAMIWalks NC into a public sign that mental health stigma is shifting in western Wake County. The crowd came to raise money for mental health programs, but it also showed how many local families are looking for something more basic: a place to talk openly about struggles that too often stay hidden.

Hosted by NAMI North Carolina, the walk ran from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Perimeter Park, 3015 Carrington Mill Boulevard. NAMI North Carolina describes NAMIWalks NC as one of the largest grassroots mental health events in the state, designed to build solidarity, eradicate stigma and celebrate recovery. The morning had a festival feel, with music and dancing, and Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce served as honorary walk chair and marshal.

The turnout carried a personal edge. Taylor Sanders said she first experienced suicidal thoughts after her grandmother died in 2015, and she hopes that speaking openly will encourage teens to ask for help before reaching a crisis point. Felicia McPherson, a burn survivor who dealt with depression and workplace PTSD, said NAMI was important in her recovery. McPherson now works as a peer support specialist and licensed mental health counselor, giving the day a direct link between lived experience and professional care.

That message matters in a state where the need is large and still often unmet. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said nearly 1.5 million North Carolinians struggle with mental health issues, and Gov. Josh Stein proclaimed May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Rodney Brooks, executive director of NAMI North Carolina, said one of the first warning signs is change, such as someone not showing up where they used to or not seeming present the way they once did.

For families trying to respond, the most immediate resource remains 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential and available 24/7 by call, text or chat, and the FCC says the national network includes more than 200 crisis centers. In Morrisville, the walk ended after a morning of cheering and music, but the larger work of checking in, noticing changes and getting help is what organizers said has to continue long after the crowd goes home.