The pain of losing someone top suicide never goes away. For the Fassbender family, talking about their son Kodye’s suicide helps to heal the wounds, as does encouraging people to become aware of mental health issues. They speak very openly with groups or individuals about the suicide, in hopes of sparing other families the intense pain they continue to feel every day.

The Kodye Fassbender Memorial Scholarship Fund each year awards $500 toward the college costs of a graduating senior at Appleton North High School who is pursuing a career in mental health. Kodye was a sophomore at North when he died in May 2017 of suicide.

His mom Lisa said the scholarship is one of the ways to get the conversation about suicide started. Conversation builds awareness and the awareness can build on itself – in the same way, unfortunately, suicides can lead to more suicides.

Setting up the scholarship through the Community Foundation means the administrative work is handled, leaving Lisa, husband Mike and daughter Nycole more time to tell Kodye’s story.

“From the very bottom of my heart, I greatly appreciate everything you and the Community Foundation continue to do to honor Kodye & support our family. You’re a wonderful group of people,” Lisa said.