AKRON, Ohio — An Akron family is publicly reaching into their own personal pain in order to lift others up and help them with their grief one year after their son Will died by suicide.
The family has launched a nonprofit called Will Call, with a message and mission on how conversations can provide support to those in need.
Beth and Billy Cardina remember their son Will, who, in his 34 years, left his own unique mark.
"He was an old soul. Even as a kid, we knew that," Billy Cardina said.
"We joked that Will would say that when other parents were taking their kids to Cedar Point, we were taking Will to see Bob Dylan, so it was really kind of ingrained in him," Beth Cardina said.
Will's parents told us that he dealt with mental health and substance abuse struggles. The family's lives were turned upside down on Feb. 16, 2025, when they learned he had died by suicide.
"When Will died, it was quite a shock, and I felt like we needed to do something to honor him," Beth said.
A year later, the Cardinas and Will's girlfriend, Hannah Troyer, are doing just that through their new website and a nonprofit named Will Call.
"Our hope in doing that is to allow other people to hear stories, so that they don't feel so alone and that they know this is not an isolated event. This is just a human experience," Troyer said.
A donor provided $25,000 towards a Will Call van, and the family is trying to raise another $25,000 before buying it.
A phone will be attached to the van, allowing people to record messages and share their personal grief, whether they lost someone by suicide or any other way.
"I think helping others will help us. Helping others will help people we don't even know," Billy Cardina said.
"You can choose to have your call recorded and just sent back to you, so it's private thing, or you can choose to have your call recorded and then it will be sent into a database," Troyer said.
The shared recorded messages will eventually appear on the website. The plan is to bring the van to mental health conferences, schools and community events.
"His creativity is so important for us to continue to express," Beth Cardina said.
Will expressed that creativity through music. His parents feel he can still reach people through Will Call.
"We know that he loved us. We loved him and we wish he was still here, but he's not, and so this is one way to to again honor his memory," his mother said.
CLICK HERE to visit the nonprofit's website.
