Record turnout at Rise Up for Ryan event

The Ryan Patrick O’Shea Foundation hosted its fifth annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament and Suicide Awareness Walk at Lister Park on Saturday, July 27, to raise money for the foundation’s continued work to increase mental health awareness in local schools and communities.

The annual event is held each summer in memory of 18-year-old South Side High School graduate Ryan O’Shea, who died by suicide in January 2019. Its goal is to end the stigma attached to mental health by fostering a community dialogue and to create a more compassionate environment to provide everyone the ability to ask for help when they need it.

In the five years since the tournament started, John O’Shea, Ryan’s father and the co-founder of the nonprofit organization said that he has seen an overall change in the community, as more people are becoming comfortable opening up about mental health and suicide.

“Mental health was always a quiet thing, but now people are starting to talk about it,” he said. “I really believe that we’re making a difference.”

All of the proceeds raised go to help fund the Rockville Centre School District’s Sources of Strength program — a national suicide prevention program that provides insight and inspiration by taking proactive approach to addressing mental health concerns, which in some cases can lead to feelings of isolation or suicide.

In memory of Ryan, who was a passionate basketball player and former captain of the South Side High School boys’ varsity basketball team, the foundation hosts a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, where teams of kids, teens and adults can compete — whithin their respective age brackets — in head-to-head half-court matches.

Nearly 250 people participated in the tournament, while hundreds of spectators gathered around the courts to watch the teams compete.

“This year’s event was super successful,” John O’Shea said. “We have a great group of RVC fathers who do the reffing for us. It’s a fun community event that is made possible by the community itself.”

The suicide awareness walk, which takes place in Lister Park on the same day as the tournament, also saw a record turnout this year, as friends and participants took the opportunity to discuss mental health.

Friends and participants also painted rocks with motivational and healing messages to help remind others that they are not alone, that its okay to not be okay and to seek help from a trusted friend, family member or advisor when they feel lost.

The Sources of Strength program provides students with a reprieve from the daily stresses of exams, homework, classes and academics by focusing instead on teaching methods that improve social and emotional wellbeing. Since it was implemented, the program has grown exponentially to 11 different school districts and two local police departments in Nassau County.

“The program is growing and growing,” O’Shea said. “The feedback has been powerful and great.” Thanks to the generosity of the community, the foundation is looking to expand its programming to five more school districts and hope to bring its mental health training to the NCPD.

For more information about the annual 3-on-3 basketball tournament and the efforts of the Ryan Patrick O’Shea Foundation, visit RyanPatrickOsheaFoundation.org.