Calls to suicide hotline up, New Vista adds more volunteers to help [Video]

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Calls to 988, the suicide and crisis lifeline, are up nearly 40 percent across central Kentucky.

That’s according to New Vista, so the non-profit has now added more volunteers to meet the community’s growing needs.

One of them is David Hafley, who said he is honoring his late son with every call he answers. 18-year-old Tom took his life in 2015.

“Tom was like every other kid. Building go-karts and tree houses and friends, and all the things kids do,” said Hafley. “But Tom suffered from mental illness. And he suffered from treatment-resistant depression.”

Hafley now wears a bracelet as a reminder of his son and carries a photo of Tom in his wallet. He is also one of eight volunteers New Vista has added to help answer 988 calls.

“It really just felt like something I was called to do, compelled to do,” said …