The Deegan Project

On October 1, 2023, the Walton family lost Deegan to suicide.  He was 17-years-old.  Deegan was a high school honor student  and was dual enrolled in classes at The University of Michigan. He had a job he loved, was a talented athlete, and a beloved friend of many.  Deegan was always smiling, always laughing, and always taking care of everybody else.  They had no idea that he was in danger of taking his own life.  It was less than 24 hours after Deegan’s death when the first person asked, “What are you going to tell people?”  They knew that despite the stigma attached to mental health, they needed to share Deegan’s story openly, with the hope of sparing other families the same tragedy.

The Waltons recognized an immediate need to open a conversation with Deegan’s peers about the mental health struggles teens face.  Lori Walton was persistent in finding the right person to connect with a group of teenage kids, and was just as diligent in working with the school administration to bring the person she’d selected to their community.  Having spent years as a pediatric trauma nurse, Lori recognized that the rate of suicide increases around the holidays, making it imperative that this happen before the students were dismissed home for winter break.  On December 6, 2023, Jared Scott shared his Culture Shift Program with the Holly community.  Scott’s message was so well received, it inspired the Waltons to continue their efforts.

 On December 7, the Waltons launched a presence on social media, hoping to spread awareness and education on teen mental health and suicide.  They didn’t feel that they’d reach very many people, but felt strongly that if even one, single person feeling the way Deegan was, decided to stay; it would be worth the effort.  A few hundred people watched their content those first few weeks, but to date, their message has been viewed more than 23 million times, by people all over the world.  Shortly after posting their first video on Tik Tok, the Waltons recognized the opportunity to not just spread awareness, but to spark a genuine change in the way the world views mental health.  They were inspired to create a non-profit in their son’s memory: The Deegan Project.  In February 2024, Deegan’s story was published publicly for the first time in a blog aimed at moms in southeast Michigan.  Within the first week, thousands had read his story.  The Waltons launched a website: thedeeganproject.org, where his story continues to reach hundreds of people every day.

In reflecting on the impact he’d had on Deegan’s peers, the Waltons joined Jared Scott’s Culture Shift Program.  The program focuses on acknowledging personal traumas and negative emotions, and teaching students how to work through them in a positive way. Students are guided in creating their own plan to shift the culture in their school.  In separate breakout sessions, school staff, families, and members of the community are integrated into their culture shift - the start of a student-made movement.

As a part of the Culture Shift Program, the Waltons have been able to work directly with schools, impacting students, staff, and families with their message; impacting change in the stigma that surrounds mental health, teaching teens that it’s okay to be not okay, and teaching parents and educators the signs that they’d missed.  While the Waltons began their journey hoping to impact just one person, many people have reached out to tell them that they’re still here as a result of Deegan’s story. Website: https://thedeeganproject.org