Classic, custom and antique cars and motorcycles from across the region converged at the Chisholm Trail Expo Center Saturday, for the first Travis Billings Memorial Car Show.

The car show was organized by several of Travis' friends to remember him, and his love of cars, and to help raise awareness of the disease that claimed his life a year ago this week — clinical depression.

"We wanted to have a memorial to Travis, and he liked cars, and we thought this would be a good thing to do it and a good way to remember him," said Jesse Carpenter, one of the event organizers.

Ryan Klassen, another of Travis' friends and car show organizer, said the event was a way to remember Travis and celebrate his life.

"We were all very close to Travis, and he and I had been best friends since grade school," Klassen said. "Travis was a huge car guy. We were all car guys, and we thought this was the most natural thing to do, to bring everybody together and celebrate our friendship."

Klassen said the show also serves to raise awareness of clinical depression, and the devastating effects it can have on its victims and their families.

Travis succumbed to clinical depression, and committed suicide July 5 of last year.

"He had a lot of problems that escalated ... it was definitely a heartbreaking deal for everyone," Klassen said. "We wanted to raise awareness, and to get people together to have a good time and remember Travis in a good way, not just for the sad time that it was last year."

All proceeds from the car show, which drew in about 40 cars and motorcycles, are being donated to the youth group at Bible Baptist Church of Enid.

"Travis spent a lot of time with that youth group when he was younger," Klassen said, "and we wanted to help spread their ministry and help kids who are having a hard time in life, and help reach some kids who may be suffering from depression."

Travis' mother, Cindy McFarling, said the car show was a fitting tribute to her son's love of cars, which began with the purchase of a 1965 Ford Mustang when he still was in high school.

"He'd be out there sanding on it, and I'd always know where he was, and I knew that's what he wanted to do," she said.

She said Travis carried that love of cars with him until his death, last year, at the age of 29. She hoped the car show would help raise awareness of clinical depression, and the need for more treatment providers and counselors.

"There's not enough places to receive help," she said, adding that help often isn't available, or those suffering from depression aren't aware of the available resources, until it's too late.

"The need is so much greater than people realize, and there needs to be more places where people can help," added Travis' step-mother, Lori Billings.

Travis' father, Rod Billings, also said more awareness needs to be brought to the issue of clinical depression.

"It's very important, and it needs to be brought to people's attention so we can eliminate it," he said. "It's a wonderful thing, what they're doing here today. We're so proud of these guys."

Marc Billings, Travis' brother, also expressed gratitude for the car show and the efforts of Travis' friends to keep his memory alive.

"It's heartwarming ... it's really touching for them to go out and do this on their own," he said. "Travis meant a lot to a lot of people. I'm very happy that they would do this for him."

Brandon Jung, a former counselor and case worker for the Office of Juvenile Affairs, and long-time friend of Travis, said he recognized the signs of depression that eventually claimed his friend's life.

"It was something I was aware of, and I was one of the first people he talked to about it," Jung said.

He helped Travis get counseling for his depression through a local non-profit. Unfortunately, the help was not enough to keep Travis from taking his own life.

"Having it hit so close to home to me, really brought my drive back to raise awareness," Jung said.

He said many people don't recognize the signs of depression in themselves, or their loved ones, and often are slow to seek or accept help.

"Depression affects a lot of people, and a lot of people may not even recognize they're suffering from depression, especially younger adults," he said. "Everyone's entitled to a bad day once in a while. But, when you keep having bad days over and over, and start heading in that direction, it's not a bad thing to ask for help, and go talk to somebody about it."

Jung said the car show was a way to "pay forward" Travis' generosity and compassionate demeanor.

"He was such a caring person and a giving person. He would give up everything to help someone else, and we wanted to keep paying that forward and find a way to keep helping other people, like he would.

"If we can help one person, if this helps save one person, if it saves one family from having to go through what the Billings family has had to go through, then I think we'll have done something good."

For information on suicide prevention, recognizing clinical depression and how to get help for yourself or a loved one, go to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call (800) 273-8255.

Resources also are available through the Garfield County Suicide Prevention Task Force. For information contact Tippi Rasp at (580) 747-3851.

The task force meets at noon the fourth Wednesday each month at Northwestern Oklahoma State University-Enid, 2929 E. Randolph.