Man climbs lighthouse daily to spotlight suicide prevention

A man from Garður has climbed Garðskagi lighthouse for 739 consecutive days to raise awareness of suicide prevention and mental health, mbl.is reports. Guðmundur Magnússon says he plans to reach 1,000 days next summer.

Built in 1944, the lighthouse is about 29 metres tall and is sometimes called the Republic Lighthouse. Guðmundur says lighthouses have long symbolised hope, and their beams could be a lifeline for sailors trying to reach shore safely.

He makes the daily climb to draw attention to the work of the Píeta association, which focuses on preventing suicide and self-harm and supporting relatives. Guðmundur says he knows the issue both as a relative and through contact with people at risk of taking their own lives. He is also using his filmmaking and poetry to raise awareness of mental health issues.

Guðmundur began his daily climbs on 30 September 2024, the final day of the yellow month, when attention is drawn to suicide prevention. He says he makes one climb each day for Píeta and another to film, regardless of the weather or other obstacles. He has not missed a day and climbs at different times, including during the night.

A daily act to spread awareness

Guðmundur describes the project, which he calls “The path to the light,” as a public awareness effort rather than simply a personal undertaking. He hopes it will prompt reflection, reduce prejudice, encourage empathy and inspire people to take action.

He is also making a creative documentary about the project, which he says will convey hope and strength and show that dealing with depression and mental health is a long-term struggle. A shelter has been built on top of the lighthouse to protect the camera and allow him to film from the same angle each day. He says he has recorded that view daily since March, sometimes as many as three times a day.

Guðmundur says the repeated climbs represent resilience, hope and a journey from darkness to light. He describes the film as a lasting record of the cause and a way to keep its message alive.