HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Daniel Adamek is keeping his promise to advocate for mental health change in the name of his son, Christian, who committed suicide last month at the age of 15.



Adamek on Tuesday launched Little Orange Fish, a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve access to mental health care. The group also aims to continue the important national conversation about mental illness that began after Christian, a Sparkman High School student, died on Oct. 3.

Adamek said Wednesday that his family, which includes another son and a daughter, has been overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity they have received from family, friends and the community, both inside and outside of Alabama.

"I can't overstate how comforting that has been for us all," Adamek told AL.com/Huntsville.

Now the family is asking the community in Madison County and beyond to support Little Orange Fish, which is "dedicated to changing the behavioral, emotional and mental health care community and ensuring immediate access to essential support and treatment," according to a news release.

The organization is named for Christian Adamek's favorite color.

Christian hanged himself on Oct. 2, just days after getting into trouble at school for streaking at a Sparkman High football game. News of his death went viral, with people worldwide speculating on whether his real or perceived punishment for the Sept. 27 streaking incident played a part in his suicide.

Though Christian's punishment was never made public by his family or the school district, his father shot down rumors that the teen had been threatened with the label of registered sex offender.

Daniel Adamek speaks about the suicide of his son, Christian, at a news conference at Sci-Quest on Oct. 22. Christian Adamek, 15, hanged himself after a long battle with depression. (Eric Schultz/eschultz@al.com)

Daniel Adamek went public for the first time on Oct. 22, saying that the streaking incident was just a ripple in a wave of depression the teen had suffered through for months prior to his death. Try as they might, Adamek said, Christian's parents were unable to get him the right mental health care in time to save his life.

In the news release, Adamek says that Little Orange Fish will:

* Work to change the perception that mental health is only relevant to chronic or acute mental illnesses through a continuous education and outreach campaign;

* Foster community understanding that mental health is everyone's concern and that a public demand is urgently needed to increase the availability and quality of mental health care professionals;

* Develop a persistent awareness campaign to help identify the signs of mental illness;

* Develop a persistent awareness campaign to identify the various care and treatment resources;

* Work to ensure immediate access to care in the form of assessment, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.

Anyone wanting to support the Adamek family's efforts can donate to the Little Orange Fish Fund at any Redstone Federal Credit Union branch, or mail a check to Little Orange Fish, P.O. Box 22542, Huntsville, AL, 35814.

To learn more about Little Orange Fish, visit littleorangefish.org or go to the organization's Facebook page.



Updated at 11:55 a.m. with comment from Daniel Adamek and a new picture of Christian Adamek.