The Paul Michael Donahue Memorial Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that was created in June 2023 with the mission to support discussions on mental health and suicide in our local community, while increasing prevention and awareness efforts.

The PMD Foundation was founded in honor of Paul “Paulie” Michael Donahue, a 19-year-old Harrison Township resident. Paulie attended Clearview Regional School District, where he was recruited to join the Widener University cross country and track teams. He was widely respected by his teammates, coaches, and friends for his dedication and work ethic to each endeavor set before him. So many of his teammates have shared stories of how Paulie had a large impact on their own success because he would help them train, set goals, and provide words of encouragement either before the race or while running next to them urging them to get to the finish line. These stories exemplify what Paulie wrote and lived by, “run for others, not yourself”. Whether the race was on the track or life itself, he found joy in helping those around him.

On December 7th, 2022, Paulie lost his life to suicide. His family created the PMD Foundation with his compassionate and humble spirit in mind. Their goal is to prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy, and to contribute to efforts to make our community better equipped to help those who may be navigating their own mental health struggles.

Suicide is a public health crisis nationwide. In 2021, suicide was the second leading cause of death in individuals ages 10 to 14 and 20 to 34. That same year, it was as likely for someone between the ages of 10-24 to die of suicide as homicide.

These statistics have unfortunately been representative within our small Harrison Township community. Since Paulie’s passing in December 2023, many others within our town have lost their life to suicide. In July 2023, the Donahue family came together with two other families who had lost young men to suicide since December 2022 with the Harrison Township Committee to put on an awareness event during Suicide Prevention Week in September. After weeks of planning and collaboration, the “Wings of Life 5k/1 Mile Walk and Community Event” took flight on September 16th, with over 800 individuals in attendance.

Looking ahead to 2024, the Foundation is planning to conduct QPR trainings for residents, veterans, and educators; launch the “Stigma-Free” communities initiative during Mental Health Awareness Month in May; and hosting our 2nd Annual Wings of Life 5K/1 Mile Walk and Community Event.