2016 Matt's Heroes

David Stradling

Teacher, Saugus High School, Valencia, CA

David Stradling rescued a teen-aged girl at his school during a suicide attempt. He has since then started a club at his school called “Not One More.” He has spent hours of his free time since 2011 dedicated to helping the youth in his community build awareness and making sure they know they have somewhere safe to go.

Shannon Ackerman

Student, Lafayette High School, Lexington Kentucky

Shannon Ackerman is an inspiration to all. It started with an email inquiry from a girl we didn’t know that showed an extreme passion.  Her goal was to see a world where every school raised awareness and funding for suicide prevention. She is focused, persistent, and has already made a large impact in her community at only 16 years old. We are proud to call her an ambassador for our foundation.