Thanks MacKenzie for creating this much-needed website. I recently attended a public forum at Sacred Heart which I believe arose as a result of your sister's death. My 18 yr old son has major depressive disorder and goes to SF for most of his treatment. Mental illness is a chronic illness that can be managed with medication, therapy, a mental health plan and, when necessary, hospitalization. Unfortunately, our community is very lacking in mental health services, especially for our youth. Your website will save lives. ❤️

This is wonderful news compared to the sadness that I felt after Shelby's passing.

What a good way to remember Shelby and love those around us. Our family is looking forward to learning from TEAM.

Thank you MacKenzie.

There appears to be a correlation between high-scoring, high pressure schools. Even Bellarmine had a spate of suicides between 2009 and 2013.

My guess is that certain students at such schools feel beleaguered and overwhelmed, and seek a long term solution to a short term problem because they see no light at the end of the tunnel.

I went to a high pressure high school, and middle school; I thought college would surely be worse. I was also an abused child and anorexic. I thought the only way I would ever get any peace or rest or even a full night's sleep was to kills myself passively--I.e., let myself starve to death. I even withheld water.

What saved me was college. Though I did not get into my first choice, which My mother harangued me about ceaselessly, it WAS away from home, and nowhere near as difficult as even middle school had been ( aside from the increase in reading assignments ). But having free time for the first time since kindergarten, and some independence and free thinking, helped me discover who I really was, that life could be enjoyable, and that I enjoyed learning ( rather than dreading it--it was no longer drudgery).

Being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel made me actually enjoy the time spent in that tunnel--and that I had wonderful life choices at its end.

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