Tyler Weber on his 'My Big Ride for Mental health and Suicide Awareness' ride

By Liam Verster

Raising awareness

Local teacher cycling through region raising awareness of mental health, suicide supports

Apr 20, 2021 | 11:26 AM

Tyler Weber, a junior high teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sexsmith, is taking the day off from teaching to hit the open road for a good cause.

Weber is riding his bicycle through the Peace Region to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention.

The 225-kilometre ride planned by Weber is also a fundraiser for the Suicide Prevention Resource Centre in Grande Prairie.

Weber lost a friend to mental illness and suicide recently, and he says that’s what inspired him to do this ride.

“I found myself thinking about him all the time when I was on the bike doing long rides on the trainer in the winter. So I got this idea to do this to try to raise some awareness,” says Weber.

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He says since he launched the campaign in March he’s had a lot of people reaching out and speaking openly about their struggles.

Weber adds that it’s important for him to be an advocate for having conversations about mental health, because despite men having a higher suicide rate than women, they tend to discuss these topics much less.

He says this past year under the weight of COVID-19 has been really hard on everyone, but especially teachers, who have had to make so many adjustments and try to work in safe ways that still benefit the students.

Weber also says it’s also important for him as a teacher to show the kids that’s it’s good to have these conversations.

“It’s really important, I think a lot of the young boys, even maybe more so in the rural communities, have a hard time talking about things when things are bothering them. I’m trying to lead by example and show the kids that I struggle, talk about my struggle and talk about Chris’s struggle, and let them know that if they need somebody, they’ve got somebody.”

Weber began the ride at 5:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, and by 9:30 a.m. had already covered 72 kilometres from Grande Prairie to Valhalla. By noon he had logged 95 kilometres and was back in Sexsmith to meet up with his class and do a few loops around the school.

Weber launched a fundraiser on Facebook in March for this ride, and has already exceeded his goal of $1,000 in donations. As of 1 p.m., the page had raised $1,780.

The ride was initially intended to go on Thursday, April 22, but Weber pushed it up to take advantage of the good weather. The fundraiser page, ‘My Big Ride for Mental Health and Suicide Awareness‘ will stay open for donations until midnight on Sunday, April 25.

Weber adds that he only really took up cycling in the past year, but does think he will continue and maybe try to establish annual fundraising rides for the future, but at this time there’s no solid plans in the works.