This past year, we have lost two beautiful souls to mental battles that resulted in suicide. One of them was Ryan Whitney, a well-known freshman football player who had many friends and was preparing to play baseball that upcoming spring.
On the evening of December 10th, news spread through the South community that Whitney had been taken to the hospital. Students quickly shared messages on social media such as “Pray for Ryan” and other posts of support.
The following morning, December 11th, Whitney was pronounced dead. An email was sent out to students and parents, and the entire school community was shaken. That day, students could be seen crying and gathering with friends to mourn, while the school district brought in counselors to support grieving students and staff. For many upperclassmen, the tragedy was especially painful, as it reminded them of classmates they had lost in years past.
Soon after, On December 16th, students and parents close to Whitneys family organized and distributed “LLRW” blue and white shirts in his honor. The next day, the afternoon of December 17th, a basketball game was turned into a “Baby Blue Out” in support of Ryan and his classmates. His friends created signs, including one spelling out his name with the message, Remember you are needed.
Since then, the Ryan Whitney Memorial Wiffle Ball Tournament was planned and held at his home field in Kansas City from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. His parents donated all proceeds to a local nonprofit organization called Fight Club, which is led by young adults.
According to their mission statement: “Fight Club offers confidential peer support for young adults. Today’s youth face a relentless battle—emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Challenges come in both obvious and subtle forms, often accelerated by the pressures of social media.”
The tournament took place on September 1st—Whitney’s birthday, when he would have turned sixteen. Despite the rain, fifty-three teams came out to honor his life and legacy. Blue and white bracelets with messages such as “1st Corinthians 10:31,” “Be a Dawg,” and Whitneys name were passed out to participants.
Many of Whitneys friends attended, along with countless people there to support his fam
ily and the cause. One team, called the “OGs,” was made up of Whitney neighborhood friends—Davis Schipper, Colton Lake, Parker Birdsong, Max Clark, and Josh Vignary. “It was a meaningful way to honor Ryan because we did something he loved to do and just hung out,” Lake said.
Ryan, along with other Falcons we have lost, serves as a reminder that we, as a community, need to do better at being there for one another. Losing someone leaves a permanent impact on those who love them and shakes an entire school and community. September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and it is important to support each other—because you never truly know what someone may be going through.
