IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) - A mom in the South Bay accepted a high school diploma for her 17-year-old son, a popular skateboarder, who died last August.
“This picture captures his joy, his light,” said Carmelita Trujillo.
Trujillo was clutching artwork of her son, Marcelino Camarena, created by a friend of his, when she accepted his high school diploma Thursday night from the Urban Discovery Academy in downtown San Diego.
“It’s a mixture of feelings, sadness and pride," said Trujillo,
The sadness began unfolding since a day last summer. Marcelino, a well-known skateboarder, had been in and out of treatment programs for several years.
A sexual abuse victim, Marcelino had turned to drugs. And on that day in August, he uttered some haunting words.
“He said, 'I don't haven't anything to live for. I don't want to be here,'” said Trujillo.
Though family kept checking on him, Marcelino was found dead an hour later, in his bedroom.
While Trujillo still awaits some answers, she believes her son took his own life by taking fentanyl.
“Absolute devastation, emptiness. A void. I believe Marcelino was hurting and wanted to stop hurting,” said Trujillo.
Amid the pain, she channeled her grief.
Soon after her son's passing, she was on the phone with Imperial Beach’s city manager with a request. Within weeks, it became a reality: A sign posting the number for the San Diego Access & Crisis Line went up at the Imperial Beach Skatepark.
At the same time, she organized a wellness resource fair at the skatepark, exposing youth to nonprofits and other resources aimed at preventing teen suicide.
RELATED: San Diego County may receive $4.1M for youth suicide prevention efforts
It’s a fight for awareness she has carried on, in her son's name.
On Wednesday, the county officials accepted more than $4 million in state funding to tackle the issue of teen suicide.
Trujillo is hoping to apply for some funding to put the same signs in every local skate park, while pushing for more outreach inside schools, recreation centers and parks.
“I wan to empower youth. I don’t want other youth to suffer the way my son suffered,” said Trujillo.
Trujillo says she's already seen outreach increase at schools, like Mar Vista High.
She's hoping to hold the resource fair every year in September.
A Gofundme campaignhas been set up to help raise money with the annual event.
If you or someone you know may be thinking about suicide, call the San Diego County Access and Crisis Line at 888-724-7240 or the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
