Doug Merrill believes he has a higher calling.
The Bowling Green resident is focusing his full attention and effort on suicide prevention after
resigning as the head baseball coach and as a substitute teacher at the high school.
He formed the Power UP Foundation last spring, an organization designed to promote better mental and
physical health. The foundation also promotes awareness of suicide and raises money to help with its
prevention.
His next project is the "Run to the Keys," a six-month run from Boston to Key West, Fla.,
designed to promote suicide awareness and raise $25 million.
The 38-year-old will be introduced to the crowd during a pre-game ceremony prior the Red Sox’ game
against the Cleveland Indians Sunday. The six-month, 2,043-mile journey will end April 3 in Key West.
Merrill will run a half marathon (13.1 miles) six days a week down the east coast.
His first project was a book, "Fighting the Demon of Suicide," which was published in the
summer of 2008.
A 5K run was held at the high school last Saturday.
"This issue of suicide has been visiting me my entire life," said Merrill, who has had eight
people in his life commit suicide since he was 13. "I just didn’t think I could pretend that these
events didn’t happen and pretend I didn’t write the book. It’s a cause and an issue I was meant to be
involved in."
The first was a father of a neighbor and a family friend first 25 years ago.
Three years later, when he was 16 and a student at BGHS, one of his best friends committed suicide and
then his former girlfriend took her own life just a week later. Five years after that, a boy he had
coached in youth baseball took his life as a 17-year-old.
The last four came in a three-year span when he was coaching at BGHS, including two players in the Bobcat
baseball program.
Merrill has spoken to groups around the country about suicide.
"The one question I kept getting from everyone is, ‘why did this happen?’ and I didn’t have any
answer and I’m not sure anyone does," said Merrill, who won seven league titles in his seven
seasons at BGHS’ baseball coach.
"Being a competitor, that didn’t sit well with me. I felt small that my contribution with the book
wasn’t enough. I just felt very, very small after meeting with all of these people and I wanted to do
something more, something better."
That led to the start of his foundation.
He’s also taken part in "Out of the Darkness" walks held by the American Foundation for Suicide
Prevention.
He believes better physical health results in better mental health.
"It’s something we’ve all heard before, but it’s something we can all do," said Merrill, who
began running three years ago.
The 5-foot-10 Merrill has lost 25 pounds and is down to 170 pounds.
"Running became addictive to me, and watching my diet, making better choices with what I ate, and
when you see a physical transformation like I did, there’s no one else you can credit for your success
other than yourself, that makes you feel better," he said. "When you have that sense of self
worth, when you’re heading in that direction, you’re not heading in the other direction."
"When we feel better, we think more clearly and make better decisions. Mind, body and soul all tied
together. We also hope to provide motivation for people, to get in better physical shape, to take better
care of themselves."
Merrill will joined by politicians and community members from each town he visits during each leg of the
run. He’ll also give speeches along the way. Joining him on the trip will be Pat Dotts, one of his
former players.
The $25 million will be be given to communities and programs which promote better mental and physical
health.
Even after the run is completed, Merrill will continue to promote his message. He’s also planning on a
write a book about the trip and that book is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2011.
"We want to do anything we can that promotes physical fitness or better mental," he said.
For more information about the foundation or to donate, visit the foundation’s Web site at
www.powerupfoundation.com.
