Besides the usual ‘travel more, continue eating healthy, and maintain a steady workout schedule’ goals, one of my biggest goals for this year is to do hands on volunteer work and get more involved with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Since my brother’s passing, I have participated in five Out of the Darkness walks (more information here: http://afsp.donordrive.com). The walks are a great way for people to show their support for the foundation while connecting with others who have suffered from suicide and depression, whether it be personally themselves or a family member/friend. It really is touching. Although I will continue to join these walks, I want to volunteer my time in other ways as well.

One of my biggest goals in life is to spread awareness about bullying, depression, and the prevention of suicide. I feel that so many people in this world are not aware of how their actions or words can really affect an individual. As sad as it is, people don’t take suicide and depression seriously and that it really is a reality for many, many people. For example, I was watching a video the other day about a high school student who commited suicide because he was being severely bullied at school for absolutely no reason (but is there ever a reason?). The words that finally triggered him were, “Why don’t you do us all a favor and kill yourself.” Now at this point, the bully that said this most likely did not think the kid would actually do it, but he did. Hearing the kid’s mom speak about the type of person he was really hit home to me. He was a happy kid, smart, funny, loveable – just like my brother, but when you constantly have certain people bringing you down, it can really get to you. By the end of the video, I was bawling my eyes out. Every time I read about someone committing suicide, my heart just breaks.

It would be amazing to be able to go around to different places and speak to people, especially kids/young adults, about depression and suicide through my own personal experiences with myself, a close person to me, and my brother. I would love to spread awareness and educate them about how important it is to take care of your mental health and act right towards others. Your words and actions really do hit deeper than you think and suicide isn’t something to take lightly. I would love to encourage them to reach out for help no matter what because your mental health comes first.

I took the first step and reached out to someone at AFSP to express my interests. I was sent back a form to tell them all about myself and what I wanted to accomplish, and this form will be sent out to volunteer chairs who will reach out to me. I know I won’t be going around to speak immediately, but it will be nice to just get my foot in the door with helping out in any way. I am so excited to start this new chapter and put my passion in to motion.