The sirens are blaring and the lights are flashing – are schools paying attention? Article after article is warning us of a dangerous trend: adolescent anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation is rising: Starting in April 2020, emergency room visits for mental health concerns are up 31% for 12-17 year olds (1). 56% of teens report […]
I am the parent of a suicide survivor. Even typing these words brings on a whirlwind of emotions. I remember the day my son attempted to take his life and the shock and sadness I felt that somehow I had completely failed him. How did I not see that he was hurting so badly, that […]
Growing up I never understood why I felt different. Now, as a teacher at a high school, I see students like me every day. While in high school, I was a three sport athlete, involved in multiple clubs, and even made prom court. I had a large group of close knit friends that I had […]
“Out of darkness, a beacon.” When Ginny Neuckranz and husband Tom lost their teenage daughter, Erika, to suicide, they made it their mission to turn her suffering and their grief into hope for other families. It was in her name and spirit they founded Erika’s Lighthouse, a nonprofit based in Winnetka targeted at mental health […]
Kyle Anderson, a productive NBA small-forward on the Memphis Grizzlies who is approaching his sixth season, returned to his hometown of North Bergen, with plans to do more than catch up with relatives who still live locally. On Aug. 11 and 12, Anderson hosted a Celebrate Life Day basketball tournament and clinic. He began running […]