BY ASHLEY DETZEL
Director
New Mexico Fight For Life
https://newmexicofightforlife.com

As I sit here and write this, there are so many emotions running through me. Chills. Tears. Anger. Gratitude. Heartbreak. Hope. The kind of feeling that hits your chest all at once… where you almost don’t even know where to begin, but I’m going to try, because this matters too much not to. Because this – this has been a journey. And it’s not just mine.

I will never forget the day I walked into the Department of Transportation, and sat down across from Ricky Serna (then Cabinet Secretary of DOT) and let me be very real with you, It was no easy task to even get into that room. I sent emails upon emails. I made phone calls upon phone calls. Trying to get his attention – trying to get in front of someone who had the authority to actually make change.

And I knew if I got that meeting, I had one shot. Thirty minutes. Thirty minutes to speak for people who don’t have a voice anymore. Thirty minutes to carry stories that don’t fit neatly into policy. Thirty minutes to make it matter, and I walked in with a proposal in my hands, but what I was really carrying was people.

Stories.
Families.
Loss.
Pain.
Hope.

And yes, I was nervous. Because I knew this mattered. So, I dug deep into my experience, into the families we serve, into everything I’ve lived in this space, and I spoke from my heart. And he challenged me. Hard. We went round and round in that room. There were moments I felt pushed, questioned, tested, but I didn’t back down.

I stayed
I followed up.
I pushed.

And yeah… I know I drove him crazy. But when you believe in something like this you don’t stop. Because this bridg -the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge – has become something it was never meant to be. People come here from all over the country, all over the world, to take their lives. And we have lost our own too – our community, our people, men, women, and young lives that should still be here.

And on Easter Sunday, a 19-year-old boy from Los Alamos – one of our own – went out to that bridge and . died by suicide. Nineteen. That is why the urgency is NOW. Not later. Not eventually. Now. Because the bridge is not safe. And those orange barrels? They are not enough.

New Mexico ranks 5th in the nation for suicide rates, and 2nd in the nation for teen and adolescent suicide. This is happening here.

And this is exactly why I started New Mexico Fight for Life. To fight for people. To fight for life. To do the hard work—even when it’s uncomfortable

And before I thank anyone else, I need to start here.

Jeremy…One of my best friends, you were the one who brought this to my attention. Before I ever stepped into this – before I understood the depth of what was happening – you saw something. You came to me and said, “Ash, I think you should really look into this. I’m seeing inconsistencies; things aren’t adding up; there’s something going on up there and it’s not good”. And we had a deep conversation. The kind that sticks with you. The kind that shifts something in you. You didn’t just mention it – you pointed me toward it, and that matters more than you probably even know.

Because sometimes it takes someone in your circle, someone who cares, to say, “Look here. This matters”. And you did that. You lit that fire. And I will always be grateful for that. And then, just days later, I met Clarie Miller who works in suicide prevention at the state level here in New Mexico. At the time, she was a stranger to me, and she said the same thing. She told me I needed to look into what was happening at that bridge, and I remember thinking this is not a coincidence.

Two completely different people -in two different parts of my life – pointing me to the same place. That felt like something bigger. And that’s where this began. That’s where this became my crusade, and from there things started unfolding. I brought forward the issue of the graffiti on that bridge – graffiti that was promoting suicide. And we got it removed.

But then came the part that wrecked me. The crisis call boxes, I had heard rumors they weren’t working. So I went out there myself and I checked them. And they weren’t working. I will never forget that feeling. That pit in my stomach. Because all I could think was what if someone picks up this phone – in their last moment – and no one is on the other side?

What does that do to someone who is already hanging on by a thread? That thought wrecked me, and I advocated hard for those call boxes. I pushed for real solutions. New connectivity devices were installed. New hardware was put in. Daily checks were implemented. I proposed that the guards check those phones every single day and that got put into place. Ricky and I we went round and round on this too. But after a lot of back and forth, he made it happen. And still Brent and I went out there ourselves. Walking that bridge. Checking those phones.

Because we needed to know.

I will never forget going into weekends with that pit in my stomach – praying that no one would walk up to that bridge, that no one would pick up that phone, that no one would be met with silence. That fear, that weigh, stayed with me.

Through this work, I have gotten to know families. their loved ones. the guards, the sheriff’s
department, the rescue teams And when you know all of that you carry it.

And I kept saying we need barriers. Even when people pushed back. Even when people told me I wouldn’t get anywhere. Even when I sat in rooms where people tried to talk me out of it. Even when I knew what people were saying behind closed doors – that I was fighting a battle I couldn’t win. And I’ll say this – I’ve had people look me in the face and tell me nothing was going to happen…that this wasn’t going anywhere – that I was fighting a losing battle.

But look at where we are now. We are moving. We have plans. We have funding. So no – I didn’t listen then, and I’m not listening now. And I’ll be real This has been hard. There were moments I felt defeated. Because when you’re doing this work, and you keep hearing about lives being lost, it is hard as hell to keep pushing. But I didn’t stop. Because I won’t stop. And now, as you all saw a few days ago an article came out publicly sharing the plans. I knew things were in motion. I knew money was being set aside. But reading it, seeing it in black and white hit different. It made it real. It made all of this feel real in a way I can’t even explain.

But hear me this is not done yet. There are still approvals. Still steps. Which means we must stay on this. We need to get these barriers up SOON!!! We cannot afford to lose another life like we did on Easter Sunday. Our hearts are still sitting in that.

And I promise you this My board, my team, and myself, we promise this community we will stay on this. We will not let this fall through the cracks. We will not stop pushing. Because this is about hope. And I keep looking at my original proposal and I see those checkmarks. Graffiti removed. Call boxes addressed. And I’m still looking at that last one – barriers on the bridge. And I am not done until that gets checked off. Until I push on this last part! We need those barriers up ASAP!!! Because the day those barriers go up. I will be standing on that bridge watching the first one go up.

And it will be one of the most overwhelming, emotional moments of my life. Because it will mean every push, every doubt, every tear, every time I felt defeated meant something.⸻

To Brent, the Taos County Manager – for walking that bridge with me, for checking those call boxes with me, and for standing in this with me—thank you.

To Randi – thank you for being my sister in this battle. You didn’t just support me—you stepped into it with me. You showed up, you stood beside me, and you helped carry this when it was heavy. And I want you to know—none of that went unnoticed. You were in this with me, and that meant everything.

To Ken—thank you.

To everyone who showed up—thank you.

To Rivera Family Funeral Home – for the candlelight vigils, for honoring lives so beautifully, for asking me to speak, and for advocating in this space – thank you.

To the families – I carry your people with me. Always.

To all of our supporters and my New Mexico Fight for Life board – thank you for standing beside me in this. Thank you for believing in this mission and helping carry it when it felt overwhelming. You are part of this movement.

To this community – you showed up, you shared, you cared—and you lit a fire in me too.

And to the advocates who came before me – you are my shining stars. I didn’t start this at the beginning, but I came into it, and I’ve been in it thick. And I see you. And I honor you. This is your fight too.

To my parents – my anchors you kept me grounded, you guided me, and you gave me the strength to keep going when this felt like too much

And I promise you all this, I’m not stopping. I will keep this fire going. No matter what anyone says, I’m not going to stop fighting for life. I’m not going to stop fighting for the ones hanging on by a thread.

Fight for Life is not over. We need to give hope to Taos. We need to come together. We need to fight for life. Because this belongs to all of us. And this belongs to the ones who will still find their way to that bridge – the ones hanging on by a thread. This is for you. Because you are worth it. Because your life matters. And we are going to keep fighting until that truth reaches you in time.

“This organization was founded by a young women who is a survivor of suicide. It has become her lifelong passion to share her personal journey, aiming to shed light on the profound impact suicide has on not only those who love you but also the communities that surround you. Her mission is to provide support and raise awareness about a topic that continues to carry significant stigma in society. Ultimately, her goal is to break the cycle and put an end to suicide for everyone.”

“Our mission is to prevent suicide, elevate mental health awareness, and provide support to survivors of suicide. We firmly believe that by focusing on education, support, and raising awareness, we can empower individuals, organizations, and communities to eradicate mental health stigmas. Our aim is to initiate vital conversations and transform everyone into dedicated suicide prevention advocates and warriors. Together, we can make a difference.”