COLUMBUS, Neb. -- Columbus stepped up to support mental health Saturday. 

“We lost our aunt, our brother, and my daughter to suicide,” said Stacy Coughtrey. "We don’t want anybody to have to go through what we went through."

Coughtrey was one of around 100 walkers at Columbus’ Walk “Out of the Darkness” this weekend.

"The money that we raise is used for education and support, also for advocacy so they speak with people in Congress about suicide awareness and with producers in Hollywood about how to address it,” said Cynthia Makovicka. "And it won’t be long we’ll have a three-digit emergency number you can call if you need help."

She helped organize the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walk in Columbus three years ago after her student and her nephew committed suicide around the same time.

“It is a mental illness and it’s okay to not be okay, we all have some sort of illness at one point,” said Robin Swearingin, facilitator of survivors of a suicide support group in Columbus.

Organizers told NCN Saturday's walk was not just about prevention but post-vention, or caring for the family left behind. That’s why they’re adding resources to the community to families who’ve dealt with loss.

“So we have very many areas of post-vention in Columbus, we have a loss team which is a team of survivors who visit the family,” Swearingin said.

Doug Schindel died by suicide in January. His son Nic, walking Saturday, said having lost someone to suicide -- being open with the healing process, and leaning on others with things like Saturday’s walk is crucial.

“Talking about it is more helpful than trying to hide it,” Nick Schindel said.

Organizers hope that through this event and things like their newer organizations in town, the city of Columbus can encourage people to open their hearts and minds.

“Eighteen years ago there wasn’t the resources there is today that there are now,” Coughtrey said.

“Every day I miss my nephew, and everybody needs to know that it’s ok to not be okay,” Swearingin said.

“You are not alone,” Makovicka said.

The group hopes to raise $20,000 through afsp.org/columbusne. They also have a survivors of suicide group that meets every first Tuesday at United Methodist from 7-9p.m, or you can check out Norfolk's Suicide Prevention Coalition.