SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Yvonne “Tiny” DeCory leaves behind a legacy like no other.
“Every week I put a message out there, you know, telling the kids you’re not alone,” DeCory said during a 2018 interview with KELOLAND News.
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As the founder of the BEAR Project, a literacy and life outreach program on the Pine Ridge Reservation, DeCory dedicated her time to helping kids facing mental health struggles, including suicidal thoughts. The nonprofit also runs several community events beyond the Pine Ridge Reservation.
“My hope is that we don’t take suicide as a norm. It’s not normal. It’s not our way. It’s not anybody’s way,” DeCory said in 2018. “Life is hard. Not just for the Native Americans. Not just for my people. It’s hard for all races.”
In her lifetime, she also attended conferences to meet with officials and organizations to find ways to help people facing struggles with addiction.
“We’ve got to find solutions, because a lot of times we come to conferences as such, but that’s where it stays, just right at the conference table. We don’t take it back out into the community. We don’t share,” DeCory said.
On social media platforms, many of her peers are left describing her as a burst of positive energy and an inspiration across the indigenous community.
According to Oglala Sioux Tribe officials, DeCory passed away earlier this week after spending about two months in the hospital.
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