Laps for Lilly: A family's mission to raise mental health awareness through a heartfelt 5K

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Lillian Nunnery was full of life.

When she was happy, she was the happiest girl in the world, her family said. When she was sad or angry, everyone knew it.

What they didn’t realize was those intense emotions were signs of deeper problems. On Nov. 8, 2024, at age 11, Lillian took her own life.

Now Lillian’s parents, Austin and Samantha Nunnery, are trying to use her story to help others.

To help raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, "Laps for Lilly,” a 5K run/walk is planned for May 3 beginning at Cottonwood Park on the Mississippi Riverfront, adjacent to the observation deck. Sign ups start at 9:30 a.m. with the 5K run/walk beginning at 11 a.m.

“We have to have something good come out of this,” said Austin Nunnery. “If not for us, for somebody else. That is our goal here if we can save another family from what we are going through we can call it a success.”

As part of that goal, the Nunnerys established “Lillian’s Legacy,” a nonprofit organization to raise awareness of children’t mental health and suicide prevention. They want people to become more aware of the signs of mental health problems as a way to prevent suicide by children and young adults.

Currently the Nunnerys are in the process of making “Lillian’s Legacy” a 501 C complaint nonprofit. This would enable individuals or organizations to make tax-deductible donations and, as a non-profit, Lillian’s Legacy could seek grants and other funding.

Longterm, Nunnery said they want to open a local facility that would focus on children and teens. Nunnery would like it to be a place where young people would feel comfortable talking with someone about their feelings.

“I’m no doctor or therapist but sometimes all they need is to go in and talk to somebody,” Nunnery said. “We want to make people aware of the signs that looking back we should have seen.”

“Laps for Lilly” is one of their first fundraisers and the Nunnerys hope to make it major event.

They plan to bring food trucks and vendors to the park May 3. There will be a 50/50 raffle, too.

Also the family has invited organizations and non-profits to set up booths with information and resources available on mental health.

There is a $20 registration fee to take part in the 5K run/walk. Those who register before April 3 are guaranteed a T-shirt. Those who register after April 3 or on the day of the event are welcomed, Nunnery added, but there will be a limited number of T-shirts available that day.

Whether the public runs, walks, drops by for some food or checks out the vendors, Nunnery said he and his family hope the day raises awareness about mental health and suicide.

“We live in an area where I believe mental health and talk of suicide is so shunned,” Nunnery said. “Mental health struggles can be silent even in the most vibrant of souls. We have to change that.”

Pausing to gather his emotions, Nunnery urged parents to talk with their children about kindness.

Quickly adding he wasn’t blaming anyone for what Lilly did, Nunnery explained: “I feel like as parents we can’t control everything people do but we have to teach our kids to be kind. We all should be better toward other people. You never know what someone is dealing with on the inside.”

Posters for the event have a QR code to sign up or a link is also available here: Lillian's Legacy form.

For more information about Lillian’s Legacy or to make a donation, go the web site, lillianslegacy.org.