Dartmouth Foundation Turns Personal Tragedy Into Powerful Suicide Prevention Programs

Family and friends of Tyler Joseph Leonard mourned his passing after Tyler took his own life in 2018 at the age of 29, but family members didn't want their memories of him to end there.

Turning Tragedy Into Community Action

Over the past eight years, the Tyler Joseph Leonard Memorial Foundation has worked to create suicide prevention programs in area schools and award scholarships to worthy students.

The foundation raises money each year with an event that focuses on music, fun and Tyler's love for others. His uncle, Joel Baptista, stopped by Townsquare Sunday to talk about his nephew and share details about the fundraiser.

"Tyler was smart, he was handsome, he was athletic and musically inclined," Baptista said. "The number one thing about Tyler was he was very sincere with everybody he came in contact with."

Courtesy Joel Baptista

Building Hope: Inside the School Peer Programs

Since Tyler's passing, the Memorial Foundation has raised money for speakers to visit area high schools, stressing mental health awareness and suicide prevention themes. The foundation has also worked with school officials at Westport High School and Old Rochester Regional High School to create a "Hope Squad" in both locations.

"A Hope Squad is a school-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention and mental health program," Baptista said. "Students are nominated by their classmates as trustworthy peers, they're trained by adult advisors in the schools to recognize signs of distress, and then those students act as a bridge to connect struggling students to counselors, teachers or trusted adults."

Baptista said the Hope Squad is "really exciting," and he's hoping to get other schools involved as well.

Tyler J. Leonard Memorial Foundation via Facebook

Join the Mission: Details on the Annual Fundraiser

The fifth annual Tyler Joseph Leonard Memorial Foundation fundraiser is happening Saturday, Sept. 12 at the Stackhouse Fairgrounds on Faith Street in Dartmouth. The event is open to all. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased online on the Tyler Joseph Leonard Memorial Foundation website.

"It's just a fun day of music, family and friends," Baptista said. "Tyler was so into music, and we have a great lineup of performers, including Craig DeMello (the 'Whiskey Poet'), plus Troy DeMello and Glen Nunes. It's kind of like a 'Tylerpalooza,' if you will."

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"This isn't just programs we are doing. It's conversations that have started, lives that we've impacted, families we've supported, and it's hope that we've given to some people," Baptista said. "Any accomplishments we've achieved aren't just because of us, but rather the philanthropy of the community that comes out and supports us. We thank them all."

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