Avid skateboarder Kyle Cabral remembered

Cabral’s memory will be honored through the arts and skateboarding, By Linda Smith Hancharick Warwick — A short time ago, Kyle Cabral, a 21-year-old college student from Warwick, ended his own life. Cabral was an avid skateboarder — when he was just a teenager, he was integral to the effort to get the skateboard park built here in the Village of Warwick. This Saturday, a celebration will be held to honor the memory of Cabral through music, arts, self expression and, of course, skateboarding. But there is also a serious message in this festival for youth culture—there are alternatives to suicide. “We want to get the message out to kids that there are alternatives to suicide,” said Joe Raia, an organizer of Saturday’s event. “If you are sad, there are constructive ways to vent and deal with your problems.” The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a partner in tomorrow’s event. The statistics are numbing—every 18 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people between the ages of 14 to 25 in the United States. A recent survey of college and high school students showed that 27 percent of high school students said they had “thought seriously” about killing themselves in the past year. Eight percent said they had actually tried. Ten percent of college students admitted serious thoughts of suicide. Seven percent had a suicide plan. Every 100 minutes another teenager in the United States will commit suicide. Many times the signs of depression are there but are mistaken as the usual ups and downs of teenage life. Raia, owner of Garage Boardshop and Apparel in Warwick, grew up in a skate shop himself. He knows the joy of skateboarding first hand, and he knows the issues kids deal with. Many of the local boarders hang out at his store on Bank Street — he is a self-proclaimed den mother — just above Peck’s Liquors. He encourages the kids to work hard in school, to volunteer, and to help change the perception the sport they love has always had. “Skateboarding is a growing sport,” Raia said. “This year it will be an Olympic demonstration event. The X Games have made it mainstream.” While the general public will see kids on bikes and think nothing, they see a group of kids on skateboards and immediately think something is up. One of the highlights of Saturday’s event will be the dedication of a new piece of equipment, purchased with donations from Kyle Cabral’s mom, Kammy Cabral, his friends and family. The day will include skateboard contests at all levels, a band jam, lots of food, and great camaraderie. Registration for the contests — with competitions in beginner, intermediate, advanced, and sponsored divisions — begins at 10:30 a.m. and costs $5. “We are looking forward to a great day,” said Raia.