NATHANIEL B. FIELD MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

We have focused on mental health awareness following the loss of our son Nathaniel Field who died by suicide on April 12, 2015. Nathan was an outstanding student in his junior year at Haddam-Killingworth High School. He was involved in numerous school clubs and activities, and participated in tennis and indoor track. He was witty, modest, and a great son and brother. We never had any reason to suspect that he was struggling.

​​There is a tremendous need for support groups to assist survivors by providing hope and the knowledge that they are not alone. Luckily, we found a Suicide Survivors support group that has helped us tremendously in regaining some degree of normalcy in our lives. Sadly, many families are confronted with similar circumstances. We have come to the realization that numerous people, young and old, struggle with diagnosed and undiagnosed mental illness.  We have experienced firsthand that loved ones can hide serious, yet treatable illnesses from their friends, family, teachers, and classmates. 

We have sponsored educational/motivational speaker John Halligan multiple times at local middle schools and high schools in the towns of Haddam and Killingworth, Deep River, Chester and Essex, Durham and Middlefield and Middletown. John’s inspirational messages effectively address bullying, cyberbullying and suicide prevention across the nation. He stresses being an up-stander instead of a bystander, that we are loved beyond belief and that forgiveness can be very healing. In addition, we have teamed up with John Morello in bringing John to multiple local school districts as well. John has captivated thousands of high school and middle school students and staff across the country as he weaves his personal stories that cover a wide range of topics including mental health awareness, suicide prevention, substance abuse, and inclusion. In 2020, the Foundation gave a substantial grant to support John’s printing of his Graphic Novel “DIRT”. This printing supported John’s efforts to reach out to students and staff remotely and in-person.

To date, our Foundation has awarded thirty-seven $1,000 scholarships to Haddam-Killingworth HS seniors, and two $1,000 scholarships to Valley Regional HS seniors.

Our Foundation supports organizations with similar goals. For example, we organized 4 Health and Wellness Fairs open to the public with 30 organizations in attendance. We donated a monetary grant to the Middletown Public Schools program “All Pro Dads”. We have donated $11,000 to Volunteers in Psychotherapy. We collaborated with Killingworth based Changing Minds Advocacy Group to provide a Mental Health Fair and a Mental Health First Aid training for community members. Our team “You’re Worth It!” has participated in numerous American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Out of Darkness Community Walks and the Hike for Hope. Our team has walked in multiple Brian Dagle Foundation’s Niantic 5K Jingle Bell walks, and we donated books and $7,500 to their Center For Hope And Healing. Finally, we have participated in several Gilead Community Services “Who Will You Move For” 5K and 10K walks and made monetary donations to support their resources for the mentally ill.

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Dying by suicide is an epidemic in this country!  With your help, we want to spread our motto around like wildfire!  “YOU’RE WORTH IT!”  If the activities that we pursue, through your generous support, save even one life, then we will be proud of our efforts.  Together, we can make a difference! 

Thank you! Marie and Howie Field

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For more information or to contact us please visit our website http://www.nathanielfield.org/ , or our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/NathanielB.FieldMemorialFoundation/or email us at NBFMF@comcast.net