In today's episode, I will read a letter written following the loss of our son JJ to suicide.

A letter from a father and suicide survivor

JJ was my first child. He wasn’t your typical 12 year old. He was smart, energetic, goofy. A straight-A student who was heavily involved in school activities being in school leadership, involved in school dances and assemblies. He was an avid soccer and video game player. JJ had a large circle of friends and was the one that everyone came to with a problem because not only would he fix it but he wouldn’t let you leave the room until you smiled. From the outside looking in, JJ was happy.

On February 13th, 2016 everything we knew about JJ changed. My son JJ, my only son, my junior became another statistic of youth suicide. After his passing, once the funeral was done and family and friends had gone back to their routines I sat down at the computer to try and understand how we missed the signs and how bad this epidemic of youth suicide was. I was astonished to find out not only that suicide is the second leading cause of death ages 10-24, but that suicide takes the lives of more of our youth than every natural cause of death combined.

With the right education and the continual awareness of our teachers, parents, our children and their peer’s suicide can be prevented. JJ’s Hello Foundations mission is to prevent youth suicide, promote youth mental health awareness, and create a message of hope for pre-teens, teens, and young adults in our community. JJ's Hello Foundation and his family hope that such activities and training will raise awareness about suicide, erase the stigmas associated with suicide discussion so that teens and young adults who are in crisis will not turn to suicide as the only answer, and that friends, families, teachers and the community at large will recognize the signs and get them help before it’s too late.

I will never hear my son’s voice again or pick him up when he falls but I have made it my mission to stand by your side and make sure together no other father loses their son or daughter to suicide. Together we can save young lives who knows maybe even yours, your friends, your neighbors, or a complete stranger’s child from making my son’s tragic choice.

Please consider a donation to JJ’s Hello Foundation. And always remember to the world you may be one person, but to one person you are the world.

Please like our page and share to help us spread the message of prevention.

Learn more http://www.hellofund.org/donations

Josh Anderson

President

JJ’s Hello Foundation