Phoenix firefighter suicide survivors walk to raise money and awareness

PHOENIX - In an effort to raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention, dozens of Valley residents, including the sister of a Phoenix firefighter who killed himself in July, will be walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk in Tempe on Saturday.

"I know that my brother wouldn't want me sitting around dwelling about it," said Cam Nelson, whose firefighter brother, Corey Nelson, committed suicide in July.

Cam Nelson said she plans to walk with family and friends during the event at Kiwanis park. The walk starts Saturday at 10 a.m. 

"The more that I can do that's positive that will help somebody else, I'm just going to do it," Nelson said.

According to the Out of the Darkness website, similar 3-5 mile community walks take place in more than 200 communities around the United States.  The proceeds benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Cam Nelson said she also has plans to participate in a national walk in New York City in June.

"It's an 18-mile walk that literally goes from night until dawn," she said, "So you're walking out of the darkness."  

Nelson said each individual raises $1,000 to go towards the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 

"With that, they help families that have survived and other people that are suffering," said Nelson.

"When I saw that walk in 2011 was in New York, I figured ... this is more like a journey for myself," she said. "I just hope that by doing this if it saves one person from hurting themselves - and in turn hurting their family - that at least I did something to help that."