Now this is reality

MTV ‘Laguna Beach’ star will run and bike from Tijuana to Laguna in effort to raise funds for teen suicide prevention.During the past year and a half, Dieter Schmitz has graduated from high school and gone off to college -- with the added stress of having his social life broadcast on TV.

As a star of MTV’s “Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,” the 19-year-old Schmitz has steered away from the entertainment industry and directed the momentum of the show’s popularity toward preventing teen suicide.

On Dec. 18, Schmitz intends to run and bike 120 miles from Tijuana to Laguna Beach High School in an effort to raise money for Running Home 4 Teens, a nonprofit organization he founded to prevent suicide.

Schmitz has taken a semester off from school to promote his cause by traveling around the country, visiting more than 150 radio shows in 15 states. He also has found time to train in hotel gyms.

Schmitz has already surpassed his goal of raising $50,000, and he now expects to hit around $75,000.

Sales of T-shirts and bracelets worn by cast members on the show have been a major source of revenue, Schmitz said.

“Every cast member of the show has stepped up to help,” he said.

While receiving strong support from his fan base, one of the challenges Schmitz said he faces comes from people who feel the MTV show represents wealth and self-indulgence.

“I’ve been to places with anti-Laguna clubs, but some of these people after hearing us talk will come up and are appreciative,” Schmitz said. “I’ve never been suicidal, but I know what depression is.”

While a freshman at San Diego State, Schmitz said he was overwhelmed with the experience of becoming a well-known TV personality and being away from home for the first time.

“I had never been depressed growing up in Laguna, but going away to school and the show coming out hit me all at once,” Schmitz said.

“A lot of kids who leave Laguna have a hard time when they’re away for the first time.”

The experience of watching his ex-girlfriend attend prom on TV added to Schmitz’s misery.

Ex-girlfriend and cast member Jessica Smith, now a freshman at Saddleback College, has had similar feelings.

“Everything that is aired now happened last year. It’s hard to have to talk about it again. You relive the whole experience,” Smith said.

“You’re supposed to go to school to become a different person and make new friends. It’s hard when you have people who know who you are.”

For Schmitz, the reality of being a reality star kicked in when his school newspaper published his picture on the front page and people started to recognize him.

“I had a hard time trusting people,” Schmitz said. “The first couple of girls I tried stuff with just turned out to be fans.”

Though generally positive about the show, Schmitz voiced his objection to the awkwardness of being famous.

“I don’t like the way the show makes us all seem so rich and self-indulged,” Schmitz said.

Smith agrees.

“My Mom taught me the value of a dollar. I’ve worked, I pay for my own gas, I drive a Toyota,” Smith said.

“We’re characters, not ourselves. They edit us to make us look different.”

The idea for the charity run hit Schmitz one day while running on the treadmill in the university’s gym.

Schmitz was watching his show on a big screen TV with a room full of people, and it occurred to him that the popularity could actually do something productive.

The money Schmitz raises is split between teen suicide prevention organizations -- SAVE (Suicide Awareness Voice of Education) and Yellow Ribbon.

The executive director of SAVE, Dr. Dan Reidenberg, said Schmitz first contacted him with a short e-mail that he almost ignored.

“He said, ‘Hey, I’m on this TV show and I want to help,’” Reidenberg said.

“The time and energy he puts into this is incredible. He’s taken away the stigma of being a celebrity and has had a huge impact for us.”

According to Reidenberg, suicide is the third leading cause of teen death, after accidents and homicide.

Reidenberg said his organization receives 10 to 15 thousand e-mails a month from teens. Those in need of direct attention are referred to local crisis centers or the police.

According to Reidenberg, every three and a half hours, a teenager commits suicide.

Schmitz’s run is expected to be completed around 6 p.m. on the field at Laguna Beach High School in front of an estimated crowd of 1,000 people.

There will be a memorial wall at the finish line plastered with thousands of e-mails sent into Schmitz.

A film crew from MTV will be following in a van, along with a car with medics.

“I’m scared out of my mind,” Schmitz said.

“In last year’s run, the last 10 miles was the worst two hours of my life when I started to cramp up. The anxiety gets worse and worse as the day draws near.”

Fellow members of the cast are expected to be waiting at the finish line.

Price of admission to the event is $20, and an after-party with bands at Diablo’s in Irvine will be $35 a ticket.