The Brazos Valley Coalition on Suicide Prevention will hold a fundraiser to celebrate the life of Miguel “Nano” Rodriguez on what would have been his 21st birthday.

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The Brazos Valley Coalition on Suicide Prevention will hold a fundraiser to honor Miguel “Nano” Rodriguez on Sunday, Nov. 14 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Brazos Center Pavilion.

Miguel’s mother, Monica Palacios, a BVCOSP board member, organized the event to celebrate what would have been her son’s 21st birthday.

“This is a great way to honor him and keep his memory alive,” she said.

Miguel Rodriguez died by suicide on April 15, 2019. He was 18 years old and attended Rudder High School at the time of his death. Palacios said Miguel planned on becoming a military police officer and a member of the National Guard after graduation.

“Since he was little, he would always tell me he was going to join the Army,” Palacios said. “He had a wonderful smile. His smile is something we will always remember.”

Palacios said she hopes anyone who is struggling knows they’re not alone and there is help.

“Let your teenagers know that they are worth it. They are important. They are loved,” she said.

BVCOSP President Doug Vance said their mission is to end suicide in the Brazos Valley and to provide support to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. They teach resiliency courses for anyone in the community who is struggling to recover from a difficult or traumatic situation.

At Sunday’s event there will be raffle tickets available to win a variety of prizes. All of the proceeds from the raffle, and any donations made on Sunday, will go directly to BVCOSP in Miguel’s name. Anyone wanting to donate prizes for the raffle, especially those with military-affiliations, is encouraged to get in contact with a member of BVCOSP before Sunday. The best way to do this is by sending an email to bvcosp@gmail.com.

If you or a loved one is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Written by Abigail Metsch