Jocelyn was beautiful, self-motivated , ambitious larger than life & a little nugget. She looked forward to going to college, was always very goal-oriented and was an overachiever in many ways. She was smaller than most in her age group and she actually was the youngest in her class; (because of her of her birthdate she was put into kindergarten w/ her older sister by 11 months Keira) which made her almost a full-year younger than everyone in her class, however she always excelled. She was always determined to prove herself – to never be left behind because she was smaller and younger than everyone in her grade.

This led to an attempt and through the process, she was put on medication. She had shown over the summer she was back…like she had gotten through this battle and was in good spirits again. She grateful for the failed attempt and knew that she wanted to help others. She had been working at the Jersey Shore Boardwalk, making new friends and having new experiences and getting her spark back. Weeks before her sophomore year was to begin, we had to see a new doctor to manage her medication. He doubled up her medication and she left us two weeks later on Friday, 9/9/22.

I could say that the biggest thing may be the recognition of just how much damage was done to our youth during the “lockdowns”… and how this crushed an already flawed mental health system…and those that we trust w/ our children continue to fail us. When we speak out about the shortfalls, and try to change and improve the system, we are silenced.

I will not allow my Jojo to become a statistic…to hear the words…”she is in a better place now”…”she doesn’t feel pain anymore,” “she was a very sad child.” Frankly to me is Bulls#@&! She had an amazing future ahead. She was the most coachable, teachable, well-mannered, kind young woman you’d ever meet. One of her friend’s fathers, and a dear friend of mine, always said (and continues to say) “she is his favorite human.”

I never doubted her success in whatever path she chose…so I feel that I need to be her voice and to do all that I can to not let this continue. Right now, I see a whole generation of kids hurting and lost… being ignored by the “adults in the room”…many of their school administrations, being used as a guinea pigs for these “medications,” and no accountability to the failures of a broken mental health system…not to mention the culture created by social media and these cell phones where no one seems to be accountable for what they do behind their “keyboards”…enough is enough!!

There is no “look” to suicide…my daughter was a three sport athlete, driven, motivated, never missed school or practice…she had many goals and plans for her future…something the textbooks would say is the complete opposite of those who “this” happens to…