For the past six years, Manteno resident Jake Smith has been walking with purpose.

That purpose is to spread awareness for mental health support and suicide prevention – and to let others know they are not alone.

Smith, 28, completed his sixth annual mental health and suicide prevention awareness walk through the streets of Manteno on Saturday.

The walk coincides with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.

For the second year in a row, Smith walked his longest ever distance, 30 miles.

Smith planned his inaugural walk in 2020 to be 21 miles in honor of the age of the oldest victim of suicide in Manteno at the time.

His tracking app wouldn’t work when he tried to map out 21 miles, so he ended up adding extra neighborhoods to make it 24 miles.

Smith then attempted to walk 30 miles in 2021 but was unable to complete the full distance.

He returned to walking 24 miles for his next walk.

The following year, he bumped it up to 26 miles to see how well he would do.

Last year, Smith felt confident enough to try 30 miles again, and he successfully completed that distance along with one other walker.

“This year, I just went with [30 miles] again because now I know I can do it,” he said. “I think it just demonstrates a message of growth. If something doesn’t work the first time, you get back up and you work for it if you want it bad enough.”

Smith was joined by two others Saturday for the entire 30-mile distance: Emily Hermann and Shaun Brav.

Between walking and taking breaks, it took them almost 13 hours, starting at 7:39 a.m. and concluding about 8:25 p.m.

Seven walkers in total completed portions of the walk.

One of those walkers was Derek Grant, another well-known local mental health advocate, founder of the nonprofit COPE and The Daily Journal’s 2024 Male Citizen of the Year.

Others walkers included Lincoln Medland, Jeff Davis and Sandy Berry.

“Every step matters,” Smith said.

Walkers were given an escort by the Manteno Police Department as they made their way back to the Leo Hassett Community Center in Manteno.

The police escort felt like a particularly special moment when Smith and others felt overcome with emotion.

“The police escort was for sure the greatest moment I’ve ever experienced in this walk’s history,” Smith said. “All of us just loved it and appreciated it so much that they were willing to do that for us.”

Walkers also deeply appreciated everyone along the way who waved, honked or stopped their vehicles to let the walkers pass through a busy intersection.

“It was the little things that went a long way, that didn’t go unnoticed,” Smith said.

Manteno Mayor Annette LaMore showed her support for the cause as well, joining walkers at the finish line for the past two years.

LaMore organized the police escort and even gave Smith some homemade banana bread for completing the trek.

“It meant the world,” Smith said.

LaMore said she applauds Smith for his efforts and for putting himself out there for the cause.

Though she’s not confident in her own ability to walk 30 miles, LaMore said she was more than happy to offer support and to donate to Smith’s fundraiser.

“We’ve all been touched by suicide in one way or another, even in small towns,” LaMore said. “It’s a difficult thing. Hopefully, with people like Jake spreading the word and doing what he’s doing, we can help stop that from happening.”

As for the reasons behind his dedication, Smith said a series of youth suicides that took place in Manteno served as a “major wake-up call.”

“Those youth suicide deaths really woke me up,” he said. “I found that speaking up about my struggles in the community that’s been knocked down so many times could maybe uplift people.”

Smith admitted that he has struggled with his mental health for most of his life.

He can relate to feelings of not having the energy to fight anymore, or of just wanting to let go of the pain.

“I just felt like me not giving up, my purpose was yet to be served,” he said.

Smith is planning to organize another walk next year, as well as continuing to raise money for local mental health nonprofits and finding new ways to spread the message of hope.

“The unique thing about all of this is it builds bridges and new opportunities,” he said. “You meet new people with a common goal and maybe find other unique ways to bring awareness.”