A young woman from Louisiana who survived a suicide attempt will be the keynote speaker at the 2025 Story County Mental Health Expo .

The expo will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Ames City Auditorium. The event will include a vendor fair packed with local mental health resources, mindfulness and self-care activities, and food trucks.

Emma Benoit will share her story of resilience. Now 25, she attempted suicide the summer before her senior year of high school. At the time, Benoit was a popular varsity cheerleader with a supportive family and a large group of friends. But she was quietly dealing with depression and anxiety.

Her attempt caused a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed, but it also helped her find faith and purpose. Her mission is to use her painfu

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