The Ben Moody Foundation, founded after Ben Moody’s death by suicide, hosts an annual skateboarding event in Eugene to honor his memory, bring the community together, and promote mental health awareness and support for those affected by suicide loss.
EUGENE, Ore. – A Eugene family turned grief into action, using skateboarding to bring people together and support mental health awareness.
Ben Moody passed away five years ago due to suicide. This year he would be turning 21, and his family celebrated his life with an annual birthday event in his memory with the help of The Ben Moody Foundation, founded by his mother, Summer LeMay.
Skateboarding has long been a part of their family. LeMay met her husband years ago at a skate park when she was just learning to ride.
“So Ben was pretty much before he could walk, he was on a skateboard,” LeMay said. “I met his dad at a skate park when I was trying to learn how to skateboard,” Summer said. “And he loved skateboarding. He had a hard time being in social situations. But if he showed up at this park, then he would make friends very easily.”
The Ben Moody Foundation is making a lasting impact, supporting those who are struggling while honoring Ben’s legacy and his connection to the skate community.
“It’s really important to me to be able to support the kids after losing Ben. And it doesn’t just stop with Ben,” LeMay said. “There’s more loss and there’s more struggles. The world hasn’t gotten any easier since he passed away, and we really need each other. We need events like this where we support each other.”
Skaters of all ages gathered to ride, remember and support one another through a shared love of the sport.
“I mean, it’s like a big family,” Drake Moody, Ben’s brother, said. “You know, it’s really tight knit. It’s always been tight-knit,” one skater said. “It’s crazy to see how much the community is coming together for things like this.”
Heath Berg made the trip down from Portland with his daughter and son to skate in support of Ben.
“We recognized the importance of mental health support and the cause just really resonated with us,” Berg said. “It is something that has affected our family and we wanted to show up to represent,” Berg said. “We just wanted to come down, show our support, hang out, help out where we can, and get some good runs in, and have a great time.”
The Ben Moody Foundation works to create a space where people feel supported and never alone in their struggles.
“The main message that we’re trying to spread is that we’re not alone in our grief and in our struggles,” LeMay said. “You always have the opportunity to reach out to someone next to you.”