Eastern Kentucky University

'Stigma and Suicide: Breaking the Silence to Save Lives' will be held at Eastern Kentucky University Perkins Conference Center on Friday, Sept. 26. Panelists from a variety of professional backgrounds, including Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, will discuss the problem of stigma as a barrier to help-seeking and what we can do to address it. Smith will also talk about the significance of stigma in the Thoroughbred industry and how it threatens the lives of jockeys and trainers alike. September is Suicide Prevention Month with Sept. 10 recognized as...

From the outside looking in, Jaron Kohari had an idyllic childhood growing up in Belfry, Kentucky. Raised by his mother and step-father, alongside two half-brothers, Kohari found his place in the world of sports as he played basketball, baseball and football. Though he maintained good grades, participated in plenty of extracurricular activities and even won two state championships at Belfry High School, Kohari was plagued with an underlying darkness in the form of manic-depressive bipolar disorder. Always looking to quell the constant turmoil in his mind, he found the solution...