LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - It's a battle no kid should ever have to face: Losing a parent, sibling or a friend to suicide.
But there is hope after losing a loved one and this weekend kids who share that grief will come together for a unique camp experience at Camp Alex.
Camp Alex, held every summer in Little Rock, is your typical fun-filled camp with swimming and hiking. But there’s also something no other camp offers -- it teaches kids who lost someone to suicide how to cope.
Ashtyn Henderson and Caleb Smith are both about to start their senior year in high school, but the 16-year-olds share another unique bond.
"It was right after my second birthday," said Smith who lost his father, Donald, to suicide.“He was a marine in Afghanistan and he had PTSD so when he came back that led him to depression."
Henderson lost her best friend and her friend's mom to a murder-suicide.
“My best friend, she was like a sister to me and her mom was like a second mom,” said Henderson. “That affected me in ways I can’t even explain."
As just kids, neither knew how to face that battle.
“I will admit I was pretty angry. I didn't know how to deal with those emotions," said Smith.
Both learned to grieve together and support each other through Camp Alex.
"There is life after suicide loss, as difficult as it may be," said Steven Blackwood, president of the Alex Blackwood Foundation for Hope. Alex, his son, was 19-years-old when he committed suicide.
“He was my best friend and my only son," said Blackwood
Steven's daughter, Ariel, was only 13-years-old when her brother died. It was her idea to offer a community atmosphere for those dealing with that loss. She created Camp Alex in 2013 as a camp for those 10 to 17 years old to share their stories with each other and learn to heal.
"I feel like it kind of links us together in a way, it’s just one more thing we have in common," said Smith.
This year’s keynote speaker is Kevin Hines who attempted suicide in 2000 by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. He now shares his story to help people living with mental illness.
"Camp Alex has helped me realize that no matter what you go through there is always hope. Yes, we're going to have bad days, we're going to have times in our lives when things are going to get hard and we'll feel like we can’t push forward, but to know there are good days to come and you have to have hope one day things will get better," said Henderson.
The five-day camp starts this Sunday, June 24. You can still register your kids through Thursday night. Blackwood tells us they will not turn a camper away just because they can’t afford to go, thanks to sponsorships.
They are in need of donors to help fund the spots for those kids.
To sign up or donate, click here.