LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — On her way to work, one day March, Emberly Sevilla heard the news about an old soccer rival who committed suicide. Her name was Katie Meyer. She was a stellar athlete best known for her performance in the 2019 NCAA College Cup. The goalie saved two penalty kicks leading Stanford University to victory.
“In the athlete space, you don’t expect things like that to happen when someone is beloved, everybody knows her name, everybody knows who is. She seems to have it all,” Sevilla said. “You put yourself in those shoes and you play the same position, same age, and that could’ve been me or one of my teammates.”
The stark reality of suicide having an impact on someone like Katie led to Sevilla’s activism.
September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness month. The CDC reports that suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young people ages 8-24. In the U.S., every day, 130 people die by suicide. Therefore, in 30 days, Sevilla is running 130 miles for each life lost.
Through a Stop Suicide. Run for Life. Go Fund Me campaign, Sevilla is raising $1,300 for Katie’s Save, a non-profit with a mission to implement policy changes and provide resources and safety plans to prevent future suicides among college students.
Sevilla, is a student for UNLV. She played soccer for the university before turning into a professional soccer player. Every day she runs at the Kellogg Zaher Soccer field, where she grew up playing. Her Stop Suicide. Run for Life. fundraiser continues, but she’s is also sending a message to her community: If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988, the Suicide Crisis Lifeline.
