Opening our eyes and our hearts. Being ready.

Hello Ally Community! My name is Rachelle. I’m proud to be on the board of Mission Save a Life. When I first heard Jen’s story, it struck a deeply personal chord. I thought of the young men I’ve known who died by suicide—my son’s college roommate and his best friend’s brother, a close friend of mine, one of my best friend’s sons, my brother’s father-in-law, and my cousin’s son. All were men. Most were young. The impact is always lasting.

When my son told me about his roommate, I was completely unprepared. It wasn’t until the Dean of his college called me to urge me to pull him from school so he could recover from the shock and trauma of what he witnessed. The worst part was my complete lack of awareness of his profound struggle. It woke me up to the importance of recognizing the signs of emotional distress. To be approachable. Especially for our young men and women. They need to know they can talk to us. That they’ll be heard.

I want to make a difference and working together, I know we can.