Janay Jumping Eagle
This image of a basketball was attached to a Facebook post from Little Wound freshman Janay Jumping Eagle when she declared that she was dedicating the remainder of her season to suicide awareness.
Ramping up efforts to stop suicide
By Brandon Ecoffey Native Sun News Managing Editor KYLE — Suicide rates in Indian Country have historically been higher than any other community in the United States. However many young people are ramping up their own efforts to combat the suicide epidemic in their own creative and unique ways. For Janay Jumping Eagle, it is dedicating her play on the basketball court to those who have been impacted by suicide and those who love life. “Love life: (I) dedicate the rest of my season to all those who lost someone to suicide and to all those who are still loving life,” she said in a Facebook post pronouncing her decision to devote the rest of her freshman season to suicide prevention. The daughter of Ryan Jumping Eagle and Echo Lebeau, and also granddaughter of legendary high school basketball coach and South Dakota Sports Hall of Fame member Dusty Lebeau, says she did this to help stop suicide. “I don’t like suicide there are so many on the rez and I want them to stop. I know the feeling of how it is to lose someone to suicide and I don’t want others to have to feel that,” said the 14 year old freshman. Along with the short message Janay posted a picture of a basketball with a message written on it that said, “I wish all the sad kids can feel what I feel when I pick this up There is hope.” When asked to explain her reasoning for including the message she described how she feels when she plays basketball. “I feel hopeful and happy and excited when I play. I feel that no one can bring me down, it helps me think only happy thoughts it is just really fun,” she said. In only her third game playing at the high school varsity level, Janay, exploded for a tournament high 34 points during the Lakota Nation Invitational in December. Her performance there along with her rapid acclimation to the high school game not only has reservation hoops pundits paying attention but also those statewide who feel that the freshman is one of fastest rising prospects in South Dakota girls basketball. Her father Ryan, speaking on behalf of the family says that he was caught off guard when he found out about Janay’s decision. “I was lying in bed and I jumped on Facebook and I saw her post and it shocked me because I still look at her like she is a little girl and this is something really big that she is taking on,” said Ryan. “It made me feel good when I saw all the likes and shares that it was getting. It is good that she wants to do something for the people who are feeling sad and for her to bring awareness to suicide is a big thing.” Ryan would also go on to say that the family has received feedback from other community members, some who said that what Janay did on Facebook had brought them to tears. “I don’t think she has any idea how many people she has touched with this and some people told us that they cried when they read it,” he said. As far as her play on the court goes for the rest of her freshman season as a member of the Little Wound Lady Mustangs Janay says, “I am going to play harder for them kids that are feeling sad and are sad.” (Contact Brandon Ecoffey at staffwriter2@nsweekly.com) Copyright permission Native Sun News
Join the Conversation
