Her name was Kathy, and in her name we are asking you to:

Learn the warning signs.

Talk openly about mental health and suicide.

Check on the people you love…even the ones who seem okay.

Listen without judgment.

Create a safe space for someone to say, “I’m struggling.”

Encourage them to ask for help before the pain becomes overwhelming.

If you or someone you know needs immediate support in the U.S., call or text 988.

We cannot change my Kathy’s ending, but together, we may be able to change someone else’s.

World Suicide Prevention Day has a deeply personal meaning for me. Since losing my stepdaughter, Kathy, to suicide in 2022, I have learned that suicide prevention is not only about raising awareness; it is also about remembering the people we have lost, supporting those left behind, and choosing compassion whenever we have the opportunity. I know what it feels like to want someone to say Kathy’s name, remember how she lived, and see her as so much more than the way she died. That is why, when another suicide loss parent from Instagram (Stephanie,) asked her friends and followers to light a candle for her son, Christopher, on World Suicide Prevention Day, I knew I wanted to light one too.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness, encourage conversations about mental health, and remind people that help and hope are available. Suicide prevention does not belong only to mental health professionals or organizations; it is something we can all be part of.

Grieving You: Poems of Love and Loss was born from this simple truth: grief speaks, but love always answers. After losing my stepdaughter, Kathy, to suicide, writing became my way of responding to grief's voice. Each poem became a conversation with love, a way to honor her memory, preserve our bond, and find hope in the midst of heartbreak. I hope that my poems remind every reader that grief may become part of our story, but love continues to answer.

If you live in Broward County or the surrounding South Florida area, we invite you to join us for this inspiring day of hope, healing, and connection. Bring your family, friends, neighbors, and anyone who believes that mental health matters. Together, we can break the stigma surrounding mental illness, encourage open conversations, and remind those who may be struggling that hope is always possible. We look forward to meeting you at Hope Starts Here! For event details and registration, visit Hope Starts Here – Broward.

As you make plans for the fall, consider participating in a local suicide prevention walk or supporting an organization dedicated to mental health. Invite your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors to join you and help spread awareness throughout your community. Together, we can continue breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness, encouraging open conversations, and reminding others that they are never alone. If you or someone you know is struggling, reach out to a trusted loved one, a mental health professional, or call or text 988 if you are in the United States. Help is available, hope is real, and together we can make a difference.

As Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month comes to an end, our commitment to supporting the men in our lives should continue every day of the year. This month has helped shine a light on an issue that often goes unnoticed: men experience stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and emotional pain too. Yet many continue to suffer in silence because they have been taught that showing emotion is a sign of weakness. It’s time to change that narrative. We must continue reminding the men in our lives that it’s okay to feel their feelings, be vulnerable, and talk openly about what they’re going through. Most importantly, it’s okay to ask for help.

Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month reminds us that mental health is a human issue, not a gender issue. We all have emotions, and we all face difficult moments in life. Creating environments where men feel comfortable saying, “I cried,” “I’m struggling,” or “I need help,” can make a meaningful difference. Emotional honesty is not weakness; it is courage. It takes strength to be vulnerable, to share what you are feeling, and to ask for support when you need it.

June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to recognize that men face mental health challenges just like anyone else. Men experience stress, anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and emotional pain, yet many continue to struggle in silence. For generations, societal expectations have taught men to “be strong,” hide their emotions, and handle problems on their own. Unfortunately, these messages can make it difficult for men to acknowledge their struggles or ask for help when they need it most.

June is Pride Month, a time to celebrate love, acceptance, and the freedom to be yourself. At its heart, Pride is about recognizing that every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and compassion, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It is a reminder that love is love and that everyone deserves the opportunity to live authentically without fear of discrimination, rejection, or shame.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to pause, reflect, and ask an important question: What am I doing to help? Awareness goes beyond posting a message or wearing a color; it’s about creating real change in how we think, speak, and show up for ourselves and others. Mental health affects everyone, and this month is a reminder that we all have a role to play in building a more understanding and supportive world.

The month of April has become a difficult month for me and for everyone who knew Kathy. This is the month she would have turned 29… and it also marks four years since she passed away. Time keeps moving forward, but the weight of missing her never really leaves. Some days feel especially heavy, others a little quieter, but every day carries her absence in its own way.

Let’s be better, better humans, better friends, and better to one another, simply because it makes life more meaningful for everyone. Being better isn’t about perfection or grand gestures; it’s about the small, intentional choices we make every day. It’s choosing kindness when it’s easier to be indifferent, choosing patience when we feel overwhelmed, and choosing empathy even when we don’t fully understand someone else’s experience. These moments, though seemingly small, shape the way we connect with the world around us.

If you are struggling with your mental health, please know this: you are not alone. Many people quietly carry heavy thoughts and emotions that others may never see. In those moments, it can feel like the world would continue just the same without you, but the truth is the opposite. The world is better with you in it. Your presence, your heart, your kindness, and the unique light you bring to others' lives are irreplaceable.

The Cure for Grief is a poem from my book, Grieving You: Poems of Love and Loss. For those carrying the quiet ache of loss, I’m sharing it with you. May these words wrap around your heart gently and offer even the smallest measure of comfort and healing.

Men’s mental health is often overlooked, misunderstood, or quietly dismissed. Many men are taught from a young age to be strong, to push through pain, and to handle struggles on their own. As a result, emotions are suppressed, and mental health concerns are carried in silence. This silence has consequences. Men die by suicide at significantly higher rates, not because they are weaker, but because too many suffer without support, connection, or permission to ask for help.

Every 11 minutes, someone in the United States loses their life to suicide. Let that sink in. Behind that number is a person with a story, a family, and a pain that may have felt too heavy to carry alone; this is why suicide prevention matters and why we cannot stay silent.

Wishing you peace, love, and happiness in this new year. As we step into this new chapter, I want to take a moment to reconnect with both our longtime community and those who are new here. The start of a new year can bring hope, reflection, and sometimes quiet struggles, so I hope this space continues to be one where you feel seen, supported, and understood.

On December 12th, we were honored to serve as a Community Partner at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Walk in Stuart, FL. As we finished setting up our tent and tables, people began to arrive, one by one. Brothers and sisters, moms and dads, aunts and uncles, friends and coworkers. Some were walking in memory of a loved one, others were walking for themselves, and many were walking alongside medical professionals and advocates. Though everyone came with a different story, we all stood together with one shared mission: to prevent suicide and support mental health.

These stones were inspired by my poem “One More Talk” in my book Grieving You: Poems of Love and Loss, in which I imagine having a conversation with Kathy during her darkest moments. In that poem, I whisper to her, “You’re not alone. We’ve got this now; we’re solid as stone.”