November 2018
J.D. Glover, 2, tries to drive the roller at Celebrate Mesa.
Students riveted by mom’s account of her son’s suicide
Valley Partnership revisiting massive Sunshine Acres project
By Jim Walsh
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
LeeAnn Hull gives presentations to students about her 16-year-old son’s 2012 suicide to reduce the incidents involving teens who take their lives. (Photo courtesy LeeAnn Hull)
Northeast Mesa charter students were riveted as LeAnn Hull spoke about the worst day of her life – the day her son, Andy, 16, came home from school and took his life After she spoke of what happened December 11, 2012, and her Andy Hull’s Sunshine Foundation, the Arizona Agribusiness and Equine Center’s Red Mountain students responded to the gut-wrenching presentation with gut-wrenching admissions of their own. One boy told Hull how he attempted suicide twice. A girl confessed how she feared her own actions may have contributed to another person considering suicide. A third
Dena Jones remembers visiting Sunshine Acres Children’s Home as a sixth grader. Her parents encouraged her to clean out her closet and give clothing to children who needed it, like those at the Northeast Mesa charity. “At the time, Sunshine Acres asked us to bring a little donation or ice cream for kids,” Jones said. “Ice cream was a luxury item they couldn’t spend money on.” As a member of Valley Partnership, Jones is still helping Suicide...continued on page 6 Sunshine Acres. The advocacy
The Arizona Cardinals’ mascot, Big Red, lends his wing to Valley Partnership, who worked on projects at Sunshine Acres Children’s Home in 2016. The organization is returning November 3. (Photo courtesy Valley Partnership)
Project...continued on page 10
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