CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teens in North Carolina, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, it isn’t just teens who are taking their lives, adults are affected too.

It’s why one mental health advocate is taking her prevention to the next level, even as high as city garages.

When looking back at old photos, Fonda Bryant said she sees a person who’s smiling on the outside, but hurting on the inside.

It's a concept she couldn’t understand until later in life.

“I remember my mom telling me when I was younger that Black people didn’t take their own lives. We came from slavery, that’s why we’re strong,” said Bryant. “No, we came from generational trauma. So when you’re raised like that, you definitely don’t embrace mental health... you don’t talk about it... you don’t even know what it is.”

It was Valentine’s Day in 1995 that she attempted to end the suffering.

“I had a son, I was working, he was doing well in school, but yet I felt like I was a failure. I felt like I wasn’t a good mother. I wasn’t providing the things that he needed, and we were living OK. I’m not materialistic at all, but again, depression and anxiety were saying, ‘You’re a loser... kill yourself... no one’s going to care,’” said Bryant.

As the thoughts creeped in further, she started giving away her possessions.

“My aunt Spanky, who I call and say, ‘You can have my shoes,’ and thank God she picked up on those warning signs. She called me back, she asked me was I going to kill myself. I said yes, and she went in superhero mode and saved my life. So I’m here because someone recognized those signs,” explained Bryant.

Signs have now become a big part of her life, as she works to get suicide prevention signs posted in garages across Charlotte, including the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

She’s already started the initiative in the garage off Fourth Street. If you drive by, you’ll find 115 of her signs carefully colored in green with two important numbers, 988 and 741741. Those are the numbers people can use to get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

She says even the locations were picked with purpose.

“People ask all the time, ‘Why do people go to parking decks to die by suicide?’ I tell them, because it’s very isolated and nobody’s going to really pay attention until it’s almost too late,” said Bryant.

She pitched an idea to the city council to get her signs approved for the airport parking deck. She said they’re working on finalizing the approval. In the meantime, she said there are other ways to address mental health and suicide warnings.

“My suicide prevention signs are the last resort. They’re there as a safety net, but we need to do a better job to keep people from getting up there in the first place,” said Bryant.

As Bryant works with the city to finalize the design, she said it’s crucial to keep the color green as it represents hope, and she wants the main two numbers so that no one has to wait for help when a life is on the line.

Resources for help are out there. If you or someone you know is struggling, click here.