If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or live chat at 988lifeline.org.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been two years since the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 went live, and for mental health advocates and survivors, the anniversary comes as another ray of hope.

Charlotte resident Fonda Bryant still smiles every time she sees one of her signs on top of a parking garage around Charlotte.

What You Need To Know

  • It's been two years since the 988 Lifeline went live, the three-digital phone number for people in a crisis

  • Charlotte advocate Fonda Bryant continues to do more to prevent suicide

  • It's also been one year since Bryant got signs installed in parking garages across Charlotte to share the 988 number

  • Bryant also teaches QPR suicide prevention training to teach others what to look out for if someone is struggling with mental health

The advocate worked for years to get the bright green signs, with the 988 number on it, installed on parking garages. Last year, the signs were put up across from the Mecklenburg County Court House.

“When somebody looks at that and says, 'You're not alone,' to me, those are three very important words,” Bryant said.

For Bryant, the need is personal.

“It's an extension of what my Spanky did for me 29 years ago when I called her and told her, 'You can have my shoes,'” Bryant said.

Bryant has struggled with her own mental health for years. She’s also a two-time suicide survivor. She said if it wasn’t for her Aunt Spanky, who paid attention to warning signs, she would not still be here.

“Because my Aunt Spanky saved my life, I'm able to turn around and help others,” Bryant said.

It’s because of her aunt’s outreach that Bryant now works as an advocate.

“If you come up here and you're alone in your thoughts and you're hurting and you're in pain, you can look at that and say, 'Wait a minute, someone knows what I'm dealing with, someone cares,'” Bryant said.

Bryant says more needs to be done to break down mental health stigmas.

“We got to do better as a community, as a culture and as a society,” Bryant said. “We're helping those who are struggling and thinking about suicide.”

Bryant is doing her part by also hosting training sessions for QPR suicide prevention training. It teaches participants to see the warning signs of mental health struggles.

“The best way to save somebody's life is simply caring,” Bryant said. ”Check on people. And like I say, we like to text people. So, if you text someone and say, 'Hey, how are you doing today?' And they text you back and they say, 'I'm straight. I'm OK. I'm all right,' pick up the phone and be willing to listen without judgment.”

She hopes that her advocacy and the 988 hotline will one day be obsolete.

“Let's just work harder on the front end to prevent suicides,” Bryant said. “But in the meantime, to me, this is the last hope right here that they will come up here, see this sign and say, 'You know what, not today. Not today. I'm going to go get help.'”