![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Cades-Day-2025.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIf you see someone struggling and you\u2019re worried they might take their own life, say something. These are the words of Megan Keller who lost her son Cade to suicide in 2022.<\/p>\n
He was only 16 years old.<\/p>\n
\u201cCall 988. Talk to a friend. Talk to a parent. Talk to a coworker,\u201d said Keller. \u201cDon\u2019t dismiss it, and don\u2019t excuse it. Believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the inspiration behind the third annual Cade\u2019s Day, which takes place at McP\u2019s Irish Pub on Saturday, September 13 at 12 pm. Community members will gather in a friendly corn hole competition, listen to live music, win some fun raffles, connect with friends and \u2014 most importantly \u2014 talk openly and honestly about suicide prevention. Proceeds from the corn hole competition will be used to fund scholarships for what was one of Cade\u2019s biggest passions: welding.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an afternoon of communication, and we\u2019re putting it out there to invite human beings to talk about suicide for what is, for most people, un-talkable,\u201d said Keller, who started the event with her husband Brian Cooper, a former Navy SEAL. \u201cIt\u2019s hard and it\u2019s weird and it\u2019s yucky and it\u2019s ugly. But this is an afternoon to let it all hang out.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to statistics from the CDC, more than 20% of students in the U.S. have seriously considered suicide in the last year.\u00a0 Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-34. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, suicide kills more teens than cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, and other chronic illnesses combined.\u00a0<\/p>\n On a local level, suicide has greatly impacted the Coronado community, taking the lives of children, fathers, mothers, wives and husbands. In addition, about 15 people die each year when they jump from the San Diego-Coronado Bridge, according to local news reports.<\/p>\n September is designated as Suicide Prevention Month, and was recognized in Coronado with a proclamation from former Mayor Richard Bailey in 2023.<\/p>\n Yet people still don\u2019t really know what to do when they encounter someone who\u2019s in trouble, says Keller. That\u2019s why she puts it out there, using direct language in a call to action that is very simple.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you see something, say something,\u201d said Keller. \u201cWhen you\u2019re at an ice cream shop or at a restaurant or sitting in a park, and you come across someone who\u2019s having a hard time, there are so many options. You can call 988. You can be anonymous. You can talk to a friend.\u201d<\/p>\n Keller says that Cade did in fact reach out when he was having a hard time, making several videos on Instagram and sharing them with his peers.<\/p>\n \u201cThe kids dismissed it,\u201d said Keller. \u201cHe made three videos. He was very clear of what he was going to do, in his own words. We didn\u2019t have a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n Keller describes Cade as a \u201cradical little man\u201d who loved the outdoor world and creating things with his hands. He grew up living in Arizona and spending a lot of vacations creating memories in Coronado. Cade was a talented welder, and he started forging in the second grade.<\/p>\n \u201cI took him to an instructor in a little town in Arizona and he just started hammering away with fire and steel and creating and making,\u201d said Keller. \u201cThe first thing he made was a railroad spike.\u201d<\/p>\n And he didn\u2019t stop, going on to make things like a cross necklace for Keller, pot rack holders and knives. He was even accepted into the welding program as a minor at Mesa Community College, after passing the civic entrance exam and acing his interview.<\/p>\n In honor of Cade\u2019s legacy as a talented welder, all proceeds from the corn hole competition will fund welding scholarships. So far, Cade\u2019s Day has awarded more than 90 scholarships for the welding program at Mesa Community College.<\/p>\n The impact is huge.<\/p>\n \u201cThis scholarship has changed my life,\u201d said C. Miner, a scholarship recipient. \u201cI had no money for school, food, or housing. Now I\u2019m welding, getting my time in and learning a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n The organization has even begun working with Workshop for Warriors, located just over the bridge. Workshop for Warriors is dedicated to bridging the skilled labor gap by providing veterans, transitioning service members, and civilians with advanced manufacturing training to rebuild the workforce and economy.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re inspired by Megan and Brian\u2019s commitment to turn their grief into action, bringing the community together in honor of Cade\u2019s memory and to support others who might be struggling,\u201d said Rachel and Hernan Lois Y Prado, founders of Workshop for Warriors. \u201cWe are deeply grateful for their support in funding scholarships for our students, many of whom come to us during times of transition, searching for stability, purpose, and a path forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Keller encourages everyone who has been affected by suicide to come out to Cade\u2019s Day and connect. And there\u2019s a lot more than just corn hole. She mentioned some stellar raffle prizes, courtesy of sponsors like Yeti, the Hotel del Coronado, Rad Bikes, Urt, and more. And McP\u2019s is the perfect setting for a welcoming event.<\/p>\n \u201cMcP\u2019s is very proud to host the third annual suicide awareness day in honor of Cade Keller,\u201d said Ted Taylor, manager at McPs. \u201cSo many people are affected by suicide that we didn\u2019t even know until this event started.\u201d<\/p>\n Cade\u2019s Day will also feature a Tree of Hope, in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Guests are invited to share a picture of their loved one that\u2019s been lost to suicide, to keep their name and spirit ever-present.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is just an outpouring of support,\u201d said Keller. \u201cIt\u2019s powerful. You can\u2019t leave unaffected. You will be inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n The event is for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe you\u2019re a supporter,\u201d said Keller. \u201cMaybe you\u2019re a survivor. Maybe you\u2019re a sibling. Maybe you\u2019re a friend. Maybe you\u2019re a part of the LGBTQ community of loss.\u201d<\/p>\n Keller hopes the event will inspire future generations of welders in Cade\u2019s legacy, and \u2014 most of all \u2014 encourage people to speak up if they see someone in trouble.<\/p>\n \u201cGive someone the chance we never had,\u201d said Keller.<\/p>\n To learn more about Cade\u2019s Day and to register for the corn hole tournament, visit the Cade\u2019s Day website. <\/a>The corn hole competition starts at 12 noon, with additional registration opening at 11 am at McP\u2019s.<\/p>\n Community members can also support Cade\u2019s Day by visiting Mootime Creamery and ordering Purple Ube, a coconut-flavored ice cream, in honor of the event.<\/p>\n<\/a>Dozens of community members rally at McP\u2019s to support Cade\u2019s Day with corn hole, raffles, music and connection.<\/p>\n<\/a>Community members participate in a friendly corn hole tournament to raise funds for welding scholarships.<\/p>\n<\/a>Cade was passionate about making things and studied as a welder.<\/p>\n<\/a>Cade\u2019s Day supports suicide awareness and connects community members with resources.<\/p>\n