Our Inspiration
“Suicide broke my heart. I imagine that it's broken a lot of hearts. The ripple that it has is huge. That outpour of people in the beginning was overwhelming, but that wasn't the end. I remember getting phone calls from people months after my dad died as the news slowly traveled. People who he had met only a handful of times were moved enough by his choice to call me and share a memory or give a condolence. It always left me with a warm sadness. You were so loved. You touched so many lives. Why did you do it? Why did you have to go?
It's better not knowing. For me anyway. I don't want to imagine the helplessness, the hopelessness, the pain....but he was such a happy person. I heard that from a lot from people. They still say it, but underneath he wasn't. We are conditioned to hide our pain, to present our best, happiest selves to the world. That's bullshit. It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to not have everything together. There's no shame in needing help.
I want people to know that. I want you to know that you are loved and that your life matters. That help is attainable. Together we can break though the stigma of depression and mental health. We can learn to reach out to each other. Please reach out. There is always hope. Hope is a light, and light will always shine through the dark.”
- Kelly O'Malley
Innovative Images by Kurt Nelson