If there is one thing that I cannot stress enough, it’s that “depression” is NOT a dirty word…

On May 26, 2007 my life was flipped upside down when I heard the news that my father had taken his life, leaving behind my older sister, myself, and my (at the time) baby brother. Just a few short days before I graduated high school, my 21 year old sister and I were left to pick up the pieces. And, with an outstanding support system (Thanks, Mom) my sister, Nichole, and I spent much of the days following in a funeral home planning our Dad’s funeral.

The emotions that follow something like this are ones that are impossible to explain. There is sadness, anger, millions of questions, and so much confusion; none of which will ever completely go away. However, there comes a point in every situation where you have to stop searching for “why” and start accepting the things that you cannot change. By now I know that no matter what I do – I can’t bring my Dad back. But, what I can do is my best to try to help someone else so that maybe another family can be spared the pain that we went through.

This November I will be running, along side of my sister, in the Annapolis Running Classic in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For those of you that know me, you know that running is kind of “my thing”. But, for me, this race is different. This time it’s not about the PR or the adrenaline rush I get from pounding out mile after mile on the pavement. It’s about the families out there that can be helped, the lives that can be saved, and the awareness that can be raised for those in need.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is an organization that supports research, awareness, and help for those in need. JOIN ME in supporting this wonderful foundation by making a small donation to the William B. Powers Memorial Fund, set up in memory of our father. Whether you can afford just $1 or maybe you can afford $20, YOU can help save a life.