Friends hold suicide prevention fundraiser to honor Ryan Neal's memory

ALGONQUIN – Streaks of red flowed through Trish Neal's short blond hair, gathered at the side of her head with a black flower – red and black were her son's favorite colors.

The two colors surrounded her, too, on the designed sweatshirts of all her son’s friends, who were gathered together Saturday to honor his memory.

It was Jan. 14, 2013, when 28-year-old Ryan Neal took his own life, leaving behind his mom, his father, Mike, and more friends than he could count.

It was that group of friends – the ones who now call Trish and Mike “Mama and Papa Neal” – who organized a fundraiser to raise money in Neal’s name for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Trish Neal, who flew from South Carolina where she and her husband now live, said the effort her son’s friends have put into suicide prevention since his death is overwhelming.

“I don’t even know how to begin to explain how much this means to us,” she said, after pausing several times to greet her son’s friends as if they were her own. “A lot of people want to leave a legacy when they pass away and Ryan didn’t even realize the legacy he would leave.

“He left all this – these kids. I mean look at everything they do for this cause.”

The third annual event was held at Nero’s Pizza & Pub in Algonquin, where, in his life, Neal and his friends hung out so often that a permanent tribute to him now hangs inside – a skateboard signed by the many people who attended his funeral service.

“We wanted it to be part of the building forever so anytime one of our friends come in, it’s like a little piece of him is here with us,” said Elgin resident Brittany Shelby, one of Ryan’s close friends who helped organize the event. “Ryan skateboarded all the time, everywhere.”

She and many of the others who were there wore sweatshirts that read, “The Brighter Side.” It’s the name of the team that has participated for the last couple years in a walk for suicide prevention.

They will walk again in Neal's memory at the end of the month in McHenry.

Another close friend, Becca Morgan of Algonquin, said Saturday’s fundraiser included more than 70 raffle prizes, a photo booth run by Neal’s brother, and food provided by Nero’s. The money raised Saturday would go toward the team’s fundraising goal for the upcoming walk.

While grieving for him, Morgan explained Neal’s large group of friends emerged from the tragedy impassioned and united behind a common cause. She, Shelby and Trish Neal all said their goal is to erase the stigma attached to mental illness and help stop another young person from resorting to this type of act.

“We decided we had to do something,” Morgan said. “If we can help just one family, prevent them from going through this kind of hurt, it’ll all be worth it.”