I was down the other day, learning about the passing of that young man – Robert Martin, the lacrosse player from Binghamton.
In this space you feel frustrated, upset, dejected, etc., with news of each new suicide. You can’t save everyone – and in most cases you didn’t even have a chance to help the person who was lost. There are 7+ Billion ppl on this planet. Nonetheless, the pain of each new passing is real.
Then this morning, I got a text from a mom, Ilana, in Livingston, NJ, who we are working with on a community event/fundraiser for April 26th. In that text, she attached this picture: lacrosse teammates on her son’s middle school lacrosse team, making the Same Here sign language sign that is our logo/message.
I’ve shared in the past 4 years that I haven’t been able to cry often/much at all. This text had me getting chills and shedding tears. This was the pic I needed – and I’m hoping the pic many of you needed, after Robert’s story.
To see these young boys, sharing that – when it comes to mental health: same here, all of us, we all face challenges that impact us, and will all be there for each other – that is magical. That’s the type of openness and connection that lessens feelings of isolation, & PREVENTS suicides in the future.
I hope this picture had the same impact on you, that it did me.
