Why We Must Show Up — For Each Other, and for Mental Health

This week, I am attending a fundraiser for Pathways Clubhouse Society, an organization that supports individuals living with mental illness in finding purpose, connection, and stability. I’m going not just to raise funds, but to raise awareness. I’m going because showing up matters — for others, and for ourselves.

And this week, I go with a heavy heart.

Our city is grieving after the tragic incident at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party, where a vehicle drove into a crowd, killing one person and injuring several others. As more details emerge, we’ve learned that the suspect had interacted with police the day before and was known to be living with serious mental health challenges.

This tragedy has left us heartbroken and searching for answers.

How do we respond when someone falls through the cracks of our mental health system?

What responsibility do we share in creating a safer and more compassionate community?

And how can we ensure that this never happens again — not by turning against one another, but by working together toward real solutions?

As we reflect, one thing must remain clear:

We must not demonize people who are vulnerable, including those living with mental illness.

The vast majority of individuals with mental health conditions are not violent. Many are already living with layers of stigma, isolation, and fear. Making them scapegoats only deepens the barriers to care and drives suffering further underground.

At the same time, we must be able to talk honestly about legal responsibility when someone with mental illness causes harm.

We need thoughtful, fair, and just approaches to accountability — ones that recognize the complexity of each case, the reality of the harm caused, and the need for both public safety and compassionate care.

Serious illness does not erase the impact of loss. When lives are taken and tragedies occur, we must not look away from the pain of victims, survivors, and communities.

Justice must seek healing, not just punishment. And that justice must be wise enough to hold both care and accountability.

We also need to find more effective ways to protect public safety when someone is seriously unwell. That means building systems that provide timely mental health support, that foster communication between law enforcement and healthcare, and that center early intervention rather than crisis response alone.

Let us also be clear:

This tragedy should not be used to advance any political agenda.

Pain should not be politicized. What we need now is humility, courage, and collective commitment to do better — for everyone involved.

This is why I support the work of Pathways.

It’s a space where people are seen not for what they’ve suffered, but for who they are and what they can become. It’s a model of healing, dignity, and belonging. And it reminds us that mental well-being is not a fringe issue. It is a shared concern that touches every life, every family, and every neighborhood.

Today, I stand with those who are grieving.

Tomorrow, I will continue walking with those working toward a more just, compassionate, and safe society.

I invite you to pray for the families affected by this tragedy. Hold them in your hearts, and offer whatever support you can — whether through words, presence, or practical care.

Let us not turn away. Let us walk with them.

We must hold space for all of it — for care and for justice, for healing and for responsibility.

Because the kind of community we become depends on how we respond, especially when the path forward is difficult.

If you are struggling, please know that you are not alone.

And if you are able, I invite you to support organizations like Pathways Clubhouse. They are quietly shaping a world where dignity, support, and hope are not reserved for a few, but offered to all.

Let us keep showing up — with truth, with care, and with courage.