It was a Tuesday, and I got a message on my Facebook when I opened the app on my phone:
“Good morning, Olivia! Your birthday is coming up… Would you like to start a fundraiser?”
I clicked on it, naturally curious, and saw the options littered on the page. There were so many foundations, and as I looked through, nothing felt right.
Then, I saw the option for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I have never clicked something faster.
My reasoning for picking this foundation is complicated. I could sugarcoat this post and say that I have had no personal connection to depression or suicide, but that would not be the truth.
My family has personally been impacted by suicide, and I have personally been impacted by depression.
People who don’t know me well may shake their head in disbelief when they hear my name and depression in the same sentence. Friends who do not know the extent of my life story would be bewildered. The children that treasure “Liv, their babysitter” would not even be able to wrap their head around the fact that I have ever felt hopeless or sad.
Yet, me putting on a smile has never been with the intent of hiding my struggle. My smile has been put on with the intent of allowing others not to struggle. I have made every day about helping other people because I know firsthand what it is like to feel alone in a crowded room, and I want to make sure that no one in my life ever feels that way.
Depression and suicide are not talked about enough. And unfortunately, more often than not, it takes a loss of a life to get the conversation started. That should not be the case. Having these tough conversations with your friends, with your families, with your CHILDREN is one of the key components of suicide prevention.
I chose this foundation not only because I am personally connected to it. I chose this foundation because this cause is important, because human lives are important, and just because you can’t see someone physically deteriorating doesn’t mean they aren’t mentally deteriorating.
I also chose this foundation because suicide causes universal pain. Whether you have known the person for five minutes or five years, there is a lingering question,
What could I have done?
The other day, I got a text message from a friend that donated to my fundraiser. It read,
“Heartbreaking news that a girl killed herself here today in her room.”
My world, for a moment, stopped.
I replied back the only thing I could even fathom saying,
“Are you okay?”
and he responded,
“Physically of course. Mentally, I didn’t even know that girl but to know that someone’s life was so awful that she felt she had to do that is so unbelievably horrible… no one should ever have to feel like that. It’s not fair…”
and then he went on to say,
“I’m just glad that you recognize that so much and that you did what you did for your birthday, because it was really important. I’m glad I had the opportunity to donate.”
And that right there is the main reason I chose this foundation. I chose this foundation to start a conversation. To get people thinking… and most importantly, to make a difference and reassure people that they aren’t alone.
To all who donated to my fundraiser, thank you. Your contribution is directly impacting the Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Your donation is allowing awareness to be spread and resources to be given to those who desperately need it.
Please don’t let this be the end of the conversation. Suicide, unfortunately, will most likely never go away and there will always be some extent of a problem. But if we can save at least one life by being kind or speaking out.. it is truly worth it.
Just Something Like Olivia 