Huntington mom becomes one of the country's top fundraisers for suicide prevention
Carrie Aronson, of Huntington, has raised over $380,000 in memory of her daughter Brittany. Credit: Carrie Aronson
Carrie Aronson never expected to become one of the country’s top fundraisers for suicide prevention after her 14-year-old daughter took her own life in 2009.
The Huntington resident remembers "spiraling down" after the loss of her daughter Brittany, whom she described as a "bright light who cared about everyone." But months later, Aronson started fundraising for the cause after befriending a woman she met during her daughter’s wake who two years earlier had lost her own teenage daughter to suicide.
Since then, Aronson has raised more than $380,000 in Brittany’s memory for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and is consistently ranked among its top annual fundraising individuals nationwide. She also became the fundraising manager three years ago for the foundation’s Long Island Chapter.
"After losing Brittany, I turned that pain into action," said Aronson, 56. "I said I can’t have another parent go through what I went through."
Aronson’s fundraising feats began the year after Brittany’s death when she held the first of two events — the second of which featured celebrity psychic Theresa Caputo — that each raised roughly $10,000 at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh. She also organized a team of family and friends, called Team Brittany Marie, which for over a decade has been the top fundraising group for the chapter’s annual Long Island Out of the Darkness Walk, slated to be held this year at Jones Beach on Oct. 25.
But Aronson took things a step further six years ago when she launched the Blue Angel Car Show, which has included as many as 750 cars and raised over $40,000 annually since 2024.
"Everything I do is for Brittany," said Aronson, whose contributions helped her chapter earn the designation of Overall Chapter of the Year for 2025. "I was afraid taking this on that I would be reliving my nightmare over and over, but if I save one life I’m doing what I was meant to do."
Aronson’s philanthropy has also spread to her family including her son, Zachary, who started a foundation in his late sister’s memory called The Keep the Light On Project. The initiative gives those who lost loved ones to suicide a place to leave words of remembrance or light a virtual candle in their honor, she said.
Ann Morrison-Pacella, executive director of the foundation’s Long Island Chapter, said there is something special about Aronson.
"I know that her efforts have saved lives, not just because of the money she’s raised but because of how she connects with people," Morrison-Pacella said. "I have great respect for the fact that she was able to take this horrible situation and really made a difference for lots of other people."
NOMINATE A LONG ISLANDER who goes above and beyond or serves as an inspiration to their community. Send details and photograph to Michael Ebert, michael.ebert@newsday.com (photos should be high-resolution). Photos may be used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
