Help Us Keep Walt’s Waltz Moving Forward

Let’s Stop Dancing Around Mental Health Conversations®

In 2019, I lost my son, Walt, to suicide. He was 35 years old.

Two days later, his younger brother Will said to me, “Mom, we will start a movement. If we save one life, it will all be worth it.”

We did.

Just two days after losing Walt, that promise became Walt’s Waltz.

Walt was compassionate, humble, and a true Renaissance man. He was our Gentle Giant. He cared deeply about people, lived with kindness, and had a strong sense of what was right. Those qualities continue to guide the work of Walt’s Waltz.

What began in unimaginable loss has grown into a mental-health nonprofit serving communities across the Upstate of South Carolina. We educate, create Stigma-Free Environments, bring people together, and give people practical tools to better understand mental health and have the conversations we too often avoid.

Our new Walt’s Waltz mural, Walt’s Walk, reflects Walt’s love of art, nature, and the outdoors. Our butterfly has become a symbol of hope and a sign that you are welcome here.

But this campaign is about more than a mural.

It is about carrying Walt’s spirit and this work into the future.

As Walt’s Waltz has grown, so has the need for our work. We now have an office, contract workers, interns, and more requests from our community. Your gift helps support our people, programs, workshops, educational resources, materials, and the everyday needs that keep Walt’s Waltz moving forward.

This year, we are setting a goal of raising $35,000 in honor of Walt’s 35 years of life.

For me, that number is more than a fundraising goal. It is a way to honor the 35 years we were blessed to have Walt in our lives by continuing work that helps others.

Will you help us reach $35,000?

Your gift, whatever the amount, can help us reach the next person who may be struggling, the family looking for answers, the student who needs someone to listen, or the person who simply needs to know they are not alone.

I miss Walt every day. I miss his hugs. I miss his words of advice. I miss hearing his voice.

But as Will says, “Walt is not was. Walt is part of me.”

He is part of all that we do.

I cannot change what happened to my son. But I can continue the work we began after we lost him.

If we save one life, it will all be worth it.

Please make a gift today and help us keep Walt’s Waltz® moving forward.

You can make a gift through this Givebutter campaign or send a check to:

Walt’s Waltz®
120 Saint Augustine Dr.
Greenville, SC 29615

Susan Crooks
susan@waltswaltz.org
864-477-8660

With gratitude, hope, and love,

Susan, Will & the entire Walt’s Waltz Team