ALEDO, ILLINOIS-- Two months ago Mercer County High School student, Valerie Carlson, lost her life to suicide. Leaving behind her mother and younger sisters.
"I just miss my daughter and I don`t want anyone to go through what I am going through. I don`t want any of you to know what this is like," said her mother Bridget Carlson. Bridget is doing all she can to keep the memory of her oldest daughter alive and so are her friends.
"The fact that the girls care enough to do something like this ... it`s heartwarming," said Carlson.
Valerie's friends say she was bullied. Now they are taking a stand for suicide awareness and anti-bullying.
"After it happened we all decided this is not okay why she`s gone is not okay. We need to do something about it since nobody else seems to be doing anything," said Mallory Mazzocco. Mallory is a friend of Val's and is heading the fight for change.
Mallory and a few other classmates started group to bring attention to their cause and to raise money to cover any costs the Carlson family needs.
They started selling t-shirts after they lost Valerie. Now they have a booth at the Aledo Rhubarb Festival selling shirts, baked goods, bracelets and car decals. Some of the money will also go towards kick starting a program.
"We want to make money for our group so that way we can take in these kids that feel like they don`t have anyone around or being bullied everyday," said Mazzocco. They want others to know they have somewhere to go and spark a conversation on how school district handle bullying.
They are taking their voice to a national level. Reaching out to Congresswoman Cheri Bustos and other politicians.
"I just don`t think there`s enough people that care," said Carlson.
They believe bullying, mental illness and suicide aren't being taken serious. That the problem is not just a local issue but world wide.
"I just want people to be kind and not judge and that bullying is just it`s unbelievable," said Carlson.