A yellow bench was brought into Lethbridge College on Tuesday to represent the importance of conversation.

The bench’s message of “Yellow is for hello” is a signal for someone who may need support, for others to initiate a conversation.

Founder of the Lucas Fiorella Friendship Bench, Sam Fiorella came up with the idea to keep conversation’s going the same way their son Lucas did for others, before passing away by suicide in 2014.

Fifty per cent of people struggling with mental health concerns remain silent. Fiorella’s son was one of those people. Suicide is the second leading cause of death between people ages 15-24 across the globe.

Lethbridge College welcomed a symbolic bench into the institution to spark conversation by simply saying hello. The Lucas Fiorella Friendship Bench initiated back in 2015 by Sam Fiorella after he lost his son, Lucas to suicide. Fiorella touched on the importance of self-care and conversation.

“One hello could start a conversation and save someone’s life”

Lethbridge College is among a growing number of other post-secondary institutions that have installed the bench.