MITCHELL, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – Friends and family gathered at Thirsty’s Bar and Grill in Mitchell on Saturday to help raise awareness for men’s mental health.
It was the first time the Mitchell community came together since former Dakota Wesleyan football standout Manny Christopher took his own life two years ago.
Manny always had a smile on his face, but others didn’t know about his mental health struggles. A non-profit, “Long Live MC” was created to provide resources for suicide prevention and to raise money for scholarships.
The event had a fundraiser with a 50/50 raffle.
“It means more than the world to raise awareness on mental health,” said Tristan Teichmeier, Manny’s friend and a member of the Long Live MC board. “People that knew Manny knew he was the happiest, biggest smile guy out there. Everyone loved him. He was always looking out for everyone else, and didn’t have that time to look out for himself. So we want to be able to bring awareness to this community.”
Event organizers wanted to emphasize how important it is to get help if you are struggling and that the suicide and crisis lifeline, 9-8-8 is always available
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