MILWAUKEE— — A statewide suicide prevention effort came to a close Wednesday with an emotional ceremony in Milwaukee, honoring the life and legacy of Alderman Jonathan Brostoff.
The final stop of the “We Can Save Lives Tour” was held at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, Brostoff’s alma mater, on World Suicide Prevention Day. The initiative was launched in December 2024 by Friendship Circle president Levi Stein, who wanted to keep Brostoff’s passion for community alive through accessible, life-saving training.
“When we started the We Can Save Lives tour, people signed up in big numbers because they wanted to do something in memory of Jonathan,” Stein said. “And this was a really tangible thing to do. But it’s grown way beyond that. It’s not just friends of Jonathan who are showing up to these trainings. It’s much more than that.”
The tour spanned 41 stops across Wisconsin — a number chosen to reflect Brostoff’s age when he passed away — and provided more than 1,000 people with suicide prevention training. Participants learned skills through SafeTalk and QPR programs, both focused on recognizing warning signs and responding in crisis situations.
Wednesday’s ceremony brought together community leaders, family, and friends. Among the speakers were Diana Brostoff, Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Brenda Cassellius, and Stein himself.
Mayor Johnson said Brostoff’s influence continues to shape Milwaukee, and meeting him was one of the more remembering times of his tenure.
I had known Jonathan going back a little more than 15 years. I remember he’s one of those people who. You remember the moment you met him,” Johnson said. “I certainly remember the exact moment, the exact place where we were when we first met all those years ago.”
Attendees also had the opportunity to take part in additional prevention trainings held before and after the ceremony.
Stein said he hopes the tour will spark long-term change across the state.
“Get trained and host a training,” Stein said. “Don’t just get trained yourself. Get all of your friends, your family members trained. We’ll come to you. We now quadrupled our capacity to be able to do trainings. So give us a call at friendship circle. Schedule training and get everyone that you know trained.”
