Live4Lane 5K Supports Mental Health In 5th Year, Honoring Dominion High School Teen
STERLING, VA — When the Live4Lane 5K and walk started five years ago, it was a way for the family to cope with the loss of Lane Michael Burrows, a 15-year-old Dominion High School student. Lane died by suicide in 2019, inspiring the family to start a 5K fundraiser and later a foundation to raise funds and awareness for mental health.
“For me, I was like how do we keep his memory [alive] and have a space to keep him honored and talk about mental health,” Maranda Heil, Lane’s mother, told Patch.
The 5K and foundation are dedicated to Lane, who is remembered as a son, brother, family member and friend who practiced “friendship, kindness, and living life to its fullest.” While the 5K started in memory of the 15-year-old, Heil said she started to get an outpouring of support to focus on the positives of promoting mental health. She has gotten anonymous letters, including from the family of an 11-year-old who went to the walk and realized they needed mental health support.
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The next Live4Lane 5th Annual Memorial 5K is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Cascades Community Association, 47620 Saulty Dr, Sterling, VA. People of all fitness levels are encouraged to participate, and there will be a virtual option with a virtual opening remarks and keynote speaker for those who can’t attend in person.
Live4Lane, a foundation that has the 5K as its main fundraising event, promotes mental health awareness and resources. The name L.A.N.E. epitomizes the foundation’s purpose: Learn. Awareness. Nurture. Education. Heil said one objective is to bring awareness and conversations about mental health to the forefront and get people help sooner. That includes families having open dialogue with their children to understand if their mental health isn’t feeling normal.
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“For us to normalize if our mental health is not normal, to speak up, don’t wait for a crisis, because mental health can go through stages [like cancer],” said Heil. “There are ways to help, and if you wait, [there are] not as many options.”
On the financial side, fundraising supports Mental Health Advocate Scholarships for Dominion High School graduating seniors. The recipients are recognized for working as advocates to raise awareness about mental health. To date, $22,500 in academic scholarships have been awarded to Dominion High School graduating seniors.
Burrows would have graduated with the class of 2023. Reflecting on that, Heil said the focus of Live4Lane is shifting from simply honoring Lane to addressing gaps in mental health. As the scope of Live4Lane expands, Heil says the scholarship eligibility will later be expanded from Dominion High School to all of Loudoun County. The goal from this year’s fundraiser is to provide $3,000 scholarships to two students. The goal of the 5K is $6,300, and the total amount raised will decide the scholarship amounts.
Since the 5K began five years ago, it has grown from the Dominion High School community to the wider community. Heil encourages the community to come out to the event and be part of the conversation about mental health.
The community can learn about participating, making a donation to Live4Lane, or watch the virtual livestream.
“I’ve had such a supportive community, and everyone comes together, and they really look forward to the event,” said Heil.
If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online or from Loudoun County.
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