Friends of the late Heather Vennewald, (from left) Marissa Warren, Johanna (Ware) Buoncontri, Amy (Liakos) Darling, and Jill (Weiss) Collado, gather around a photo collage of the four friends with Vennewald when they were URI students.
Four friends reunite to remember their friend and raise money for mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
Johanna (Ware) Buoncontri ’96, Marissa Warren ’96, Amy (Liakos) Darling ’96, and Jill (Weiss) Collado ’96 came to campus last fall for URI’s 15th Be5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
For them, the event had special meaning, because the event is a benefit for the Heather Fund, which was established in honor of their college housemate and friend, Heather Vennewald, who died by suicide in January 1996.
URI President Marc Parlange at the Sunflowers for Heather table with, from left, Marissa Warren, Johanna (Ware) Buoncontri, and Jill (Weiss) Collado.
Runners leave from the starting line at URI’s Be5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
“Heather was amazing, and we miss her every day. Having the four of us together for the Be5K on campus this year is everything!” says Buoncontri. “As parents—with kids almost the same age as us when we lost her—we feel more compelled than ever to support the event.”
“By sharing our story and continuing to build Heather’s legacy at URI,” Buoncontri continues, “we hope to spread awareness of mental health and suicide by sharing our story and continuing to build Heather’s legacy at URI.”
—Dave Lavallee ’79, M.P.A. ’87
Read the full story at uri.edu/heather5k
If you are in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Photos: Michael Salerno