ZEELAND, MI — More than a decade after the death of 15-year-old Zeeland East student Zach Kroll, his family is working to keep his memory alive and reduce the stigma surrounding mental health through the nonprofit Love and Lean.
Not a day goes by that Lori Kroll doesn’t think about her son.
Love and lean: Zeeland family marks 10 years of mental health advocacy in son’s memory
“He always had a laid-back personality, a very gentle, quiet spirit, but he also had a crazy sense of humor with witty one-liners and jokes that always made people laugh,” Kroll said. “He was considerate and would pick up someone’s book if it dropped, and sometimes he was late for class, but it didn’t matter.”
Whether it was playing the drums or performing on the soccer field, Zach was passionate about what he did.
“He was a great drummer. He was on the drum line, and yeah, he really enjoyed it,” Kroll said. “He was very athletic. He played soccer through middle school, but in high school he focused on the drums. Then, at age 15, he got a job at Culver’s.”
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Zach’s death in 2015 shocked the community.
“When it happened, the community, our family, his friends, everyone was in complete shock because Zach was a kid who made everyone laugh and smile and was always upbeat,” Kroll said.
Kroll said her son had hidden his struggle with depression.
“He told me everything. I don’t understand why he couldn’t tell me about his struggle with depression. But we had no clue. There were no clues. There were no signs,” she said. “If we had known, we would have moved heaven and earth to help him.”
She said the stigma around mental health issues was greater 11 years ago.
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“It just breaks our hearts that he hasn’t reached out. Shame and secrecy — that’s what challenges us to help make a difference in other people’s lives and reduce that shame and secrecy,” she said.
The Kroll family quickly began advocating for open conversations about mental health.
“His purpose in life didn’t end when he died. I feel like it’s carried on in a different way, like it’s part of our story now,” Kroll said. “This is part of his story, it’s part of God’s story, and it’s why we continue to reach out to people and have everyday conversations about mental health and make people feel like they’re not alone in this.”
This advocacy work began in 2016 with participation in the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan’s Stomp Out Stigma Walk in Grand Rapids.
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“The next year, about 50 people, including Zach’s friends, some of his teachers and family, gathered at the Stomp Out Stigma Walk in Grand Rapids, where we walked in his memory,” Kroll said.
The walk inspired local initiatives.
“I had lunch with a friend and I thought, OK, that’s great, but what if we could do something locally for our community while also supporting the Mental Health Foundation,” Kroll said.
The name “Love and Lean” comes from a dream Lori Kroll had after her son’s death.
“I had a dream about a year ago and I woke up to Zach’s voice saying, ‘Love and lose weight, love and lose weight, love and lose weight,’ and I was like, okay, I don’t know what this means, but I’m going to wake up at 2 a.m. and write it down,” she said. “He always loved stick figures. He would draw them for school projects and on the whiteboard at work. And I started drawing some stick figures related to Love and Lean.”
love and lean
The event has grown into an annual 5K event held at Zeeland Stadium, which is now part of the nonprofit organization Love and Lean.
“This is our fifth year adding the run. Stomp Out Stigma started with 50 people and has grown over the years. Last year we had about 650 people,” Kroll said.
The 10th annual Love and Lean Walk/Run will be held at Zeeland Stadium on Saturday morning, April 25th.
“There was a real sense of community that day, with everyone coming together. Some people may have lost a loved one to suicide, some may be struggling with themselves and feel alone, and others may be walking with others,” Kroll said.
love and lean
The event will include messages written in chalk on the sidewalk, signs created by local schools, commemorative signage, and live music along the roadside.
“Wetland has a guitarist and a soloist, so that’s more of a reflection,” Kroll explained. “The seventh-grade band from Cityside and Creekside Middle School will be playing music and pushing people to the finish line. We also have connection beads. So no matter how much your mental health is affected, you’ll be wearing a bead of that color.”
Over the years, the Krolls have raised thousands of dollars for the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan. This year, the funds will also be donated to three other nonprofit organizations: Team Be Better, i know, and Winning At Home.
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Kroll said she wishes her son were still alive, but believes he would be proud.
“I think he would be really happy to see the progress that we are making and hopefully saving other lives as we open up about our experiences and our journeys,” she said. “He gave me a big hug and said, “Good luck, mom.” I missed him, but good luck.”
You can register for the 10th Annual Love and Lean Walk/Run here.
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