Light the Trail’ covers the chasm between needs and mental health resources

During the holiday season, Fort Worth Report journalists are remembering their favorite stories of 2022. Click here to read other essays.

For the past three months, it has been an honor to serve as the Fort Worth Report’s “Multimedia/Video Fellow.” During this time, I worked on some fascinating articles, met some amazing people, and learned so much more about the field of journalism than I could have just sat in class.

I’m really proud of each story I’ve written this year, but my favorite is “Light the Trail covers the chasm between needs and mental health resources.”

“Light the Trail” is Cycling for Suicide Prevention and Depression Awareness for the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation. The 2022 edition was her second ride for the foundation after the 2017 edition was an “absolute success.”

From October 1-15, the Fort Worth-based foundation spearheaded the 1,800-mile journey from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico.

The best thing about this story was talking to Tom Harris and Isaac Manning. They spread suicide prevention tips in their free time and work to raise awareness of depression throughout Dallas/Fort Worth, and indeed the entire country.

For Harris, co-founder of the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, his influence is personal. After losing his daughter, Jordan Elizabeth Harris, to suicide in 2012, Harris fought hard to “extinguish the stigma,” bringing conversations about mental health and suicide to light.

Simply bike to your destination, put on Light the Trail cycling gear, and Harris and Manning will elevate awareness wherever you go.

During the 2022 ride, Harris shared that people along the route were curious about what the cyclists were doing, and learning of the ride’s mission helped her understand her own personal life about depression and suicide. We started sharing stories.

According to Harris, it led to a “snowball effect” on mental health conversations, and ultimately Harris and Manning said the 2022 edition of the ride was a “huge success.”

This story was recently shared by David Yumanzo, program coordinator for the Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation, and health reporter Alexis Allison on how to protect home guns and medications from someone who might be suicidal. It is also associated with the reports of

Matthew Sgroi is a Reporting Fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org. The Fort Worth Report makes news decisions independently of its board members and financial backers.Read more about our editorial independence policy Here.

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