On March 25, nearly 600 supporters gathered at the Omni Dallas Hotel for the 16th Annual Beacon of Hope Luncheon, hosted by the Grant Halliburton Foundation. The event raised $300,000 to support youth mental health and suicide prevention programs across North Texas.
The morning began with a lively welcome reception featuring DJ Lucy Wrubel, a champagne wall, Patriot Paws service dogs in training, and interactive stations like the “Post Your Hope” wall, where attendees shared handwritten messages of encouragement. Guests also explored luxury raffle items, ranging from curated getaways to exclusive shopping experiences.
The formal program opened with a heartfelt performance of A Million Dreams by Syncopation, the a cappella group from Plano West Senior High School—alma mater of Grant Halliburton, whose memory inspired the founding of the organization.
During lunch, event chairs Chris and Brent Bolding thanked supporters, staff, and volunteers for helping advance the Foundation’s mission. A deeply moving tribute followed, as Amy Halliburton McCloskey honored her mother, Vanita Halliburton, with the newly renamed Vanita Halliburton Beacon Award. Amy reflected on her family’s journey after the loss of her brother Grant in 2005, and how her mother’s vision laid the groundwork for helping thousands of young people and families find support.
Vanita, the Foundation’s co-founder and chairman emeritus, took the stage alongside Alan Halliburton and spoke about the kind and compassionate spirit that defined Grant’s life. She shared that, as a teen, Grant once spent his entire savings—$65—on groceries for the struggling mother of a friend battling cancer. Another time, he jumped off the school bus to retrieve a crutch that had been thrown out the window, running between houses to catch up with the bus again. Vanita used that moment as a metaphor for the Foundation’s work. “Sometimes, you have to jump off the bus to come alongside those who need help, information, and resources,” she said.
Following a mission video and remarks from Foundation President Kevin Hall, the audience heard from keynote speaker Drew Robinson, a former Major League Baseball player whose powerful story of resilience captivated the room. In 2020, Robinson survived a suicide attempt that ultimately gave his life new purpose. Since retiring from baseball, he’s become a full-time mental health advocate—the first of his kind in MLB. In a candid conversation with Texas Rangers broadcaster Eric Nadel, Robinson shared the emotional journey that led him to this point.
He spoke about how easy it can be to mask emotional pain, noting, “People don’t fake being depressed. They fake being okay.” Reflecting on the tools that help him manage his mental health today, Robinson credited regular exercise, therapy, and journaling as essential, along with the daily companionship of his service dog, Ellie, whom he called “a major antidepressant.” When asked why he believes he survived, Robinson didn’t hesitate: “Because I’m supposed to help people.”
As the luncheon came to a close, the message was clear: hope is not just an abstract idea—it’s a call to action. Through stories of love, loss, and transformation, the Beacon of Hope Luncheon served as a reminder that community, compassion, and open conversations can change—and save—lives.
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