You Matter More Than This Moment | Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Awareness

Episode Summary

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of the Who Am I? Podcast, Jeff Hopgood speaks on suicide prevention, mental health awareness, bullying, hidden pain, military suicide, and why we must check on the people who seem strong.

This episode, “You Matter More Than This Moment,” is a message of hope for anyone who feels overwhelmed, unseen, tired, or alone. Through personal reflection, real-life awareness, and heartfelt encouragement, this episode reminds listeners that pain is real, but it is not the final chapter.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911.

Show Notes

In this episode, Jeff shares why suicide prevention is personal and why mental health awareness must be taken seriously. He reflects on losing a high school friend, Heidi Berger, who died by suicide after being bullied, and a cousin who took his life on Christmas Day.

This episode explores the pain people hide behind smiles, the warning signs we often miss, the impact of bullying, the need to check on the strong friend, and the importance of reaching out before it is too late.

Jeff also discusses suicide awareness in the military and veteran community, including Chef Andre Rush’s mission of doing 2,222 push-ups to bring attention to veteran suicide prevention.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt alone, overwhelmed, invisible, or unsure if they can keep going. It is also for families, friends, teachers, pastors, leaders, and coworkers who want to better support the people around them.

Key Topics:

Suicide prevention
Mental health awareness
Bullying and emotional trauma
Silent battles behind smiles
Military and veteran suicide awareness
Chef Andre Rush and 2,222 push-ups
How to help someone who is struggling
Why asking for help is not weakness
The importance of calling or texting 988

Crisis Support:
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or emotional distress, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

If there is immediate danger, call 911.

Transcript

A Crisis Line And A Reminder

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If you are in a crisis thinking about harming yourself or worried about someone else, call or text 988 in the United States and ask for help now. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24-7. Have you ever looked at somebody smiling and assumed they were okay? I mean they laughed with you, they joked with you, they showed up to school, they showed up to work, they answered the phone, they said, I'm good, I'm fine, I'll be all right. But behind that smile, there was a storm nobody saw. Behind that laugh, there was a cry nobody heard. Behind I'm okay, there was a person quietly falling apart. And today, I don't want to just talk about mental health. I want to talk about life. I want to talk about the person who is tired but still trying, the person who is smiling but silently suffering. The person who feels like they are too much, too broken, too forgone, too heavy, too alone. And I want to speak directly to that person today. You matter more than this moment, not more than your pain because your pain is real. Not more than your struggle because your struggle deserves to be acknowledged. Not more than your tears because your tears have a language of their own. But you matter more than this moment. Because this moment is not the whole story. This moment may be dark, but it's not your destiny. This moment may be heavy, but it is not your final chapter. This moment may feel permanent, but feelings can lie when your pain is loud. So today we are talking about suicide prevention, we are talking about mental health awareness, we are talking about bullying, talking about the silent battles, we're talking about the military community, about the people we lost, about the people still here, and we are talking about why we must stop treating suicide like a whispered secret and start treating prevention like a community responsibility. Because somebody's life may depend on one honest conversation, somebody's tomorrow may depend on one person checking in today, and somebody listening right now may need to hear this stay, breathe, reach out, but you are not alone, and you matter more than this moment. So, once again, welcome back to the Who and My Podcast where we don't just talk about what people see on the outside, we go deeper into who we are becoming on the inside, and today's episode is personal. This is not just another motivational message, this is not just content, this is a topic that I pick because it's important. This one comes from a real place, it comes from a real place. See, back in high school, I lost a good friend of mine named Heidi. Heidi died by suicide after being constantly teased in school. And what hurt so deeply is that Heidi was one of the sweetest, friendliest people that you could meet. She had the kind of smile that could brighten any room. But what we saw on the outside was not the whole story. People saw the smile, people saw the friendliness, people saw the light. But nobody truly knew what she was battling inside. And I also had a cousin who took his life on Christmas Day. Christmas Day, can you imagine that? A day that is supposed to be filled with family, warmth, laughter, food, memories, and love. But for him, something inside had gotten so heavy that even in a season of celebration, he was fighting a silent battle nobody fully saw. And that is why my passion for suicide prevention is so serious because suicide is not something to play with. It is not something to joke about, it is not something to use for attention, it is not something to ignore, it is real, it is painful, and it leaves families with questions they may never fully answer. It leaves friends replaying conversations,

Losing Heidi And A Cousin

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wondering, did I miss something? Could I have called? Could I have said more? Could I have noticed? Could I have helped? And I want to say this carefully. When someone dies by suicide, the people left behind often carry guilt that is not theirs to carry. See, suicide is complex. It is rarely caused by one thing. It can involve mental illness, trauma, bullying, shame, isolation, crisis, substance use, relationship pain, health issues, financial stress, military trauma, or a mixture of burdens that became too heavy for that person in that moment. So today we are not here to judge, we are here to understand, we are here to bring awareness, we are here to speak life, we are here to break the silence, we are here to make room for somebody to say, I need help before it is too late. But before we go any further, I need to check on you. And I'm not looking for the version of you that tells everybody I'm okay, not the version of you that smiles because you do not want people to ask you questions, not the version of you that keeps saying, I got it, when deep down you feel like you are barely holding yourself together. I'm talking about the real you. How are you really doing? How have you been tired in a way sleep cannot fix? Have you been laughing in public but crying in private? Have you been showing up for everybody else while silently wondering who is showing up for you? Have you been carrying thoughts that scare you? Have you been feeling like your life does not matter? Have you been thinking people would be better off without you? If that is you, I need you to hear me clearly. That thought is not the truth. You are not a burden, you're not disposable, you are not broken to be helped. And you do not have to survive this moment by yourself. And if you are in immediate danger or thinking about harming yourself, please call or text 9889. You can also call emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room. The 988 Lifeline is there for people in suicidal crisis, mental health crisis, substance use crisis, and emotional distress. And it is also there for people worried about someone else. And if you're listening and you are not in crisis, stay with me too. Because this episode may not be for your crisis today, but it may help you recognize somebody else's crisis tomorrow. So let's talk about the reality of suicide. Suicide is not rare, and we have to stop acting like suicide is something that only happens somewhere else or to other families. See, according to the CDC in 2023, there were 49,266 suicide deaths among people ages 12 and older. 12, so young. And that was in the United States. The CDC also notes that for every suicide death, there were about 10 emergency department visits for self-harm, 48 self-reported suicide attempts, and 325 people who seriously considered suicide in the past year. That means the number we hear is only the surface. For every life lost, there are many more people sitting in bedrooms, bathrooms, cars, dorm rooms, barracks, offices, classrooms, and living rooms fighting thoughts that may never say out loud. In 2023, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. Even more heartbreaking, it was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 through 14, 15 through 24, and 25 through 44.

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Let that sink in.

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Children, teenagers, college students, young adults, parents, co-workers, military members, veterans, people with dreams, people with gifts, people with families, people with futures. This is not just a statistic. This is somebody's child, someone's friend, cousin, spouse, coworker, classmate, somebody I wish I had called. See, one of the most dangerous assumptions we make is this. They smile, so they must have been okay. But a smile can be a mask, laughter can be a cover, productivity can be a disguise, busyness can be avoidance. Some people do not look depressed, some people do not sound suicidal, some people do not isolate themselves completely. Some people still go to work, some people still post online, some people still encourage everybody else. They still make jokes and they still say, I'm fine. See, that is why we have to learn to listen beyond words. Because sometimes I'm fine means I do not know how to explain what I feel. Sometimes I'm tired means I do not know how much longer I can carry this. Sometimes it is what it is, means I have given up trying to be understood. Sometimes silence is not peace. Sometimes silence is survival. See, the 988 lifeline lists warning signs that may indicate someone is at risk, especially when the behavior is new, increasing, or connected to a painful event, loss, or change. See, warning signs can include talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless, feeling trapped, being a burden, withdrawing, extreme mood changes, or looking for ways to harm oneself. And listen, please listen. Warning signs do not always show up with flashing lights. Sometimes they show up as I'm just tired, I don't

Why Suicide Is So Complex

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care anymore. Everybody would be better without me. I can't keep doing this. You won't have to worry about me much longer. I just want peace. Do not ignore the language that shows up like that. Don't laugh it off. Please don't laugh it off. Do not say you are just being dramatic. Do not shame them, do not preach at them before you listen to them. Sit with them, ask them directly, compassionately, are you thinking about hurting yourself? See, that question does not put the idea in someone's head. It opens a door for honesty. And if they say yes, do not leave them alone. Call the 988 number together. Contact emergency support. Get another trusted person involved. Remove immediate danger where possible. Stay present. Sometimes prevention sounds like this. I'm not leaving you alone tonight. Let's call someone together. You don't have to explain it perfectly. I believe you. I'm glad you told me your life matters to me. We are going to get through this the next few minutes together. You are not alone. See the cost of cruelty, the cost of cruelty. Because when I think about Heidi, I do not just think about how she died. I think about how she lived. I think about the smile, the sweetness, I think about the friendliness. I think about how somebody can be a light in the room while darkness is trying to swallow them privately. And the pain of Heidi's story is that she was teased constantly. Bullying is not harmless. Teasing is not kids being kids. Words can become wounds, laughs can become scars, jokes can become trauma. And when someone is already hurting inside, constant ridicule can make them feel like there is no safe place to exist. No. Playing does not make somebody hate waking up. Playing does not make somebody afraid to walk into school. Playing does not make somebody question if their life is worth living. That is not plain. That is harm. And here's the part that breaks me. Heidi was not her pain. She was not the teasing. She was not the tragedy. She was a person. She was a friend. She was someone who mattered. And the fact that she is not here today should make all of us ask, who are we walking past right now? Who are we laughing with but not checking on? Who are we teasing without realizing they are already bleeding inside? Who is smiling in the hallway but crying when they get home? Who is posting funny memes but privately wondering if life is worth living? Who is the heidi in our life right now? And what are we going to do before it becomes a memorial? So let's talk about the ordinary people, real stories, real pain. See, when we talk about suicide prevention, we cannot only talk about celebrities because most people who die by suicide are not famous. They are ordinary people with extraordinary pain. Let's talk about a few public cases that remind us how serious this is. Megan Meyer. Megan Meyer was a 13-year-old from Missouri whose death became widely associated with cyberbullying and an online hoax. Her story helped push national conversations about cyberbullying, online cruelty, and how digital harassment can have devastating real world consequences. Jamie Rodemeyer. Jamie was a 14-year-old from New York who had spoken publicly about bullying and tried to encourage others, yet he was also experiencing severe bullying himself, including homophobic harassment. His death drew national attention to the danger of bullying and the need to protect vulnerable young people. Madison Holleran. Madison was a 19-year-old University of Pennsylvania student athlete. From the outside, she appeared successful, talented, and high achieving, but her story became a powerful example of how anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and college pressure can hide behind achievement and social media images. Amanda Todd, Amanda was a Canadian teenager whose story became internationally known after she shared her experience with online harassment and cyberbullying. Her death brought attention to exploitation, digital abuse, and the long-lasting emotional damage that online cruelty can cause. And I want to say this carefully. When we mention these names, we are not reducing their lives to how they died. We are saying they mattered. They mattered. They life mattered. We are saying their pain should have been taken seriously. We are saying bullying is not a phase. We are saying online harassment is not entertainment. We are saying mental health struggles can hide behind grades, sports, smiles, talent, and popularity. We are saying ordinary people deserve extraordinary care. See, now let's talk about celebrities for a moment. Because sometimes people think money fixes everything. They think fame fixes everything. They think success

The Data And The Hidden Fight

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fixes everything. They think applauses fixes everything, but applause does not heal depression. Money does not automatically silence trauma. Fame does not remove loneliness. Success, success does not always protect somebody from private battles. One of my favorite people in the whole world, one of my favorite comedians in the whole world was Robin Williams. Robin Williams gave the world so much laughter, but after his death, attention turned to the complex medical reality he had been facing. His widow and medical organization have discussed his struggles with Louis body dementia. A serious brain disease that can involve depression, anxiety, paranoia, cognitive changes, sleep disturbance, and other symptoms. Think about that. A man who made the world laugh was privately suffering in ways many people did not understand. That should teach us something. That should teach us that the class clown may need checking on, too. The comedian may need checking on. The person who always makes everybody else feel better may need somebody to ask, How are you? Anthony Bourdain. Anthony Bourdain was admired around the world as a chef, writer, a storyteller, a public discussion after his death often connected his story to mental health, addiction history, and the intense pressure that can exist even in lives that look adventurous and successful from the outside. Kate Spade, a globally recognized designer, died during the same week as Anthony Bourdain in 2018. And their deaths brought renewed national attention to mental health, suicide prevention, and the fact that visible success does not guarantee inner peace. Stephen Twitch boss was known for joy, dancing, positivity, and energy. His death shocked many people because his public image seemed so full of life. His widow has since spoken about how his extroverted public personality could drain him. And his death became another reminder that a bright public presence can coexist with private struggles. Because sometimes we say, but they had everything. No, they had what we could see. They had success, influence, recognition, but nobody, no one person has everything. If they are losing the battle inside and cannot find the words to ask for help, so let's stop saying I don't understand why they did it. Instead, let's say I want to understand the pain better so I can help somebody who is still here. That's it. The pain should bring awareness is all about helping somebody who is still here, someone who is still reachable. It's never too late. So let's talk about suicide and the military. The battle after the battle. We have to talk about the military community. Service members, veterans carry things many civilians may never fully understand. Combat exposure, trauma, survivor's guilt, moral injury, physical pain, brain injuries, relationship strains, transition, stress, loss of identity after service, the pressure to be tough, the stigma around asking for help. And sometimes the hardest battle is not the one overseas. Sometimes the hardest battle is coming home and trying to explain to people why you do not feel like yourself anymore. The Department of Veteran Affairs reported that in 2022, there were 6,407 veteran suicide deaths, and that suicide was the second leading cause of death for veterans under the age of 45. The VA also reports that among all U.S. adults in 2022, there were on average 131.2 suicides per day, including 17.6 veteran suicides per day. For currently serving military members, the Department of Defense reported that 523 service members died by suicide in 23, and later reported that the number decreased to 471 in 2024, though long-term concerns remain, especially among active duty troops, and young enlisted servicemen. See, those are not just numbers. Those are uniforms, those are boots, those are families, those are empty chairs, those are folded flags. Those are brothers and sisters in arms who survived deployment but struggled to survive the war within. Do not just say thank you for your service. Ask, how are you adjusting? It's so much bigger than thank you for your service. Ask how are you sleeping? Or even are you sleeping? Ask, do you feel supported? Do you miss the structure? Do you feel alone? Do you need help getting connected? And for my veterans and military family listening, you are not weak because you need help. You are not less of a warrior because you go to therapy. You are not dishonoring your uniform by admitting you are hurting. There is courage in combat, yes, but there is also courage in counseling. There is courage in telling your spouse I am not okay. There is courage in calling 988 and pressing option one for veteran support. There is courage in choosing to live one more day. One more. Give it one more second, one more minute, one more hour, one more day, one more month,

Warning Signs And What To Do

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one more year, one more decade. Choose life, veterans. Choose life. One of my biggest motivators, one of my biggest mentors is the White House chef, Chef Andre Rush. 2,222 push-ups a day. And his mission is bigger than just his muscles. So let's talk about the White House chef, Chef Andre Rush. See, a lot of people know him as the former White House chef with the massive arms, the man who went viral because he looked like he could bench press the refrigerator and still cook dinner for the whole country. But behind the muscles is a mission. Chef Andre Rush is a military veteran and suicide prevention advocate. His official site says he is known for his advocacy for military service and suicide prevention, and that he does 2,222 push-ups a day to raise awareness and promote a healthy lifestyle. Chef Rush took the idea of the 22 push-up challenge and pushed it further. The number 22 became widely connected to awareness around the estimated number of veterans dying by suicide each day. Though later, government reports have shown the exact daily number has shifted over time. See, ABC News reported that when Rush began his push-ups, the daily veteran suicide estimate was commonly understood as about 22. While later, the VA data shows different figures across years. But what I respect most about Chef Rush is this. He did not just turn the pain into a statistic. He turned it into a discipline. Every push-up became a reminder. Every rep became a name. Every drop of sweat became a message. We still have work to do. See, ABC News reported that Rush said his ritual is a reminder to never become complacent and that we still have work to do and we still have to keep going. That is so powerful. Because 2,222 push-ups is not just fitness, it is remembrance. It is advocacy. It is discipline. It is grief converted into action. It is awareness with sweat on it. See, Chef Rush has also been connected to efforts like Face the Fight, a coalition launched with major philanthropic support and the goal of cutting the veteran suicide rate in half by 2030. And here's the lesson for us today. You may not do 2,222 push-ups, although it sounds nice. Some of us get winded walking up the stairs with groceries. Some of us hear push-ups and our shoulders start praying. But all of us can do something. You may not do 2,222 push-ups, but you can still send two texts. You can make two phone calls. You can check on two people. You can tell two friends, I'm here if you need me. You can ask two coworkers, how are you really doing? You can forgive two people. You can apologize to two people. You can stop two cruel jokes. You can speak life to two students. You can sit with two veterans. You can be present for two family members. Prevention is not always a program. Sometimes prevention is presence. Sometimes prevention is a phone call. Sometimes prevention is refusing to let somebody suffer alone. Man, we can get through this. We just have to take this very serious. Reach out to your loved ones, reach out to your family members, reach out to your servicemen. Reach out. Take the initiative. Be more than just a presence, just asking someone how they're doing and just keep walking without even giving them time to express how they're feeling. Be intentional. Be intentional when it comes to suicide and just being present for people. Because we never know what someone is carrying. We never know what someone is dealing with. We never know the hurt that they are facing. So be intentional. So let's talk about the psychology of suicidal crisis in a way that is simple and human. So when people are in deep emotional pain, their mind can begin to narrow. Pain can make the future disappear. Depression can tell a person this will never change. Shame can tell a person you are a burden. Trauma can tell a person you're not safe anywhere. Bullying can tell a person everybody hates you. Grief can tell a person you cannot live without what you lost. Failure can tell a person your life is over, but those are pain messages. They feel true in the moment, but they are not the whole truth. That is why the title of this episode Matter. You matter more than this moment, because suicidal crisis often lies about time. It makes a temporary moment feel eternal. It makes a painful season feel permanent. It makes a bad chapter feel like the whole book. Of one moment. One moment is not the full measurement of your life. One mistake is not the full measurement of your worth. One breakup is not the full measurement of your future. One failure is not the full measurement of your purpose. One diagnosis is not the full measurement of your identity. One season of darkness is not proof that the sun will never rise again. And that is why connections matter because connections interrupt the lie. A phone call interrupts the spiral. A therapist interrupts the shame. A friend interrupts the isolation. A crisis line interrupts the emergency. Prayer can comfort the soul, but prayer should not be used as an excuse to avoid professional help. Faith and therapy can work together. Church and counseling can work together. Scripture and support can work together. Community and clinical care can work together. God can use a pastor and God can use a psychologist as well. God can use a prayer circle and God can use a crisis counselor. God can use worship and God can also use medication when prescribed by a qualified professional. See, needing help does not mean you have no faith. It means you are human. You are human. See, this is the part of the episode where we hold up the mirror because it's easy to say people need help. But the deeper question is this: are we creating a safe place for people to ask for help? Are we the kind of friend people can be honest with? Are we the kind of parent our child can

Bullying, Cyberbullying, Real Names

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come to without fear of being dismissed? Are we the kind of church where someone can say I'm depressed without being told they just need to pray harder? Are we the kind of school where the bullying is confronted instead of minimized? Are we the kind of workplace where emotional exhaustion is not mocked? Are we the kind of family that listen, or do we only lecture? Because sometimes people stay silent because the last time they open up, somebody mishandled their pain. They were told you're too sensitive. People have it worse. You need to toughen up, stop being dramatic, you're embarrassing the family. You just want attention, pray about it and move on. You're weak. Let me say this clearly. Pain needs compassion, not condemnation. A crisis needs care, not criticism. A suicidal person does not need shame. They need safety. And sometimes the reason people do not tell us they are drowning is because we have already shown them we do not know how to handle the water. So the mirror question is not just who needs help. The mirror question is this Am I safe enough for somebody to tell me they need help? What to say to someone who may be struggling? What to say to someone who may be struggling? This is key. You do not have to be a therapist to be helpful, but you do need to be compassionate. Here are some things you can say. I'm glad you told me. You are not a burden to me. I may not understand everything, but I want to listen. Are you thinking about hurting yourself? Do you feel safe right now? Let's call or text the suicide hotline together. I can stay with you while we get help. You do not have to face tonight alone. And here are some things not to say. Please avoid saying this because this does not help anything at all. Do not say stop talking like that. You're being selfish. You just want attention. You have too much to be sad about. Other people have it worse. That's crazy. You're too blessed to be depressed. No, do not shame someone for being honest because sometimes honesty is the last bridge between them and help. If someone trusts you enough to say, I don't want to be here anymore, do not panic so much that you punish them for telling the truth. Slow down, listen, take it seriously, get involved, stay with them, call 988 immediately. Involve emergency services. If there is immediate danger, love does not replace professional help. Love helps someone get professional help. So this is a word to the person who is tired. I want to speak directly to you. You're not lazy, you're not weak, just tired. You're tired of fighting thoughts, tired of being misunderstood, tired of trying to explain the pain. Tired of pretending, tired of being strong, tired of waking up heavy, tired of crying quietly, tired of feeling invincible, tired of feeling unloved. I need you to hear me. You are not what this moment is telling you. You are not a burden. You're not a mistake, you're not too far gone. You are not unlovable. You are not beyond help. And I know, I know the pain can get loud. I know grief can get loud. I know shame can get loud. I know depression can get loud. I know trauma can get loud, but loud does not mean true. A storm can be loud and still it passes. Thunder can shake the house and still stop. Night can feel long and still end. You do not have to solve your whole life tonight. You do not have to fix every problem today. You do not have to explain everything perfectly. You just have to do the next safe thing. Take the next breath. Send the next text. Make the next call. Tell the next person. Call 988. Walk into the next room where someone is. Hand someone the words I am not safe alone right now. See that sentence may save your life, and your life is worth saving. So here is my word to the parent, the teacher, the coach, and the leader. To the parents, do not assume your child is okay because they are quiet. Quiet can be peace, but quiet can also be pain. Ask questions. Check phones if you have serious concerns. Monitor online cruelty. Take bullying seriously. Do not dismiss anxiety as attitudes. Do not dismiss depression as laziness. Do not dismiss isolation as just a phase. To the

Veterans, Service Members, Coming Home

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teachers, your classroom may be the safest room a student enters all day. See that student who gets teased every day may need you to intervene, not just observe. That student who smiles and helps everybody else may need you to ask, are you okay? To the coaches, pressure can produce performance, but unchecked pressure can crush a young person. Do not let an athlete believe that their worth is only in their stats. To the pastors and church leaders, mental health is not the enemy of faith. Do not shame people for needing counseling. Do not make depression a character flaw. Do not use the pulpit to embarrass people who are already bleeding. The church should be a hospital, not a courtroom. To the supervisors and coworkers. Check on the person whose personality suddenly changes. Check on the person who stops showing up like they used to. Check on the person who jokes about disappearing. Check on the person who has been through loss, divorce, discipline, termination, retirement, military transition, or humiliation. See, people often need support after the crowd moves on. I want to return to my cousin for a moment. The Christmas Day pain. Because Christmas Day is heavy. When someone dies by suicide on a holiday, it changes the calendar for the family forever. The day comes around every year, and while the world is singing songs, opening gifts, and smiling for pictures, the family remembers the chair that is empty. And that kind of grief is complicated because people ask, how could this happen on Christmas? But the pain does not always check the calendar. Depression does not say it is a holiday, so I will take the day off. Grief does not say the family is together, so I will be quiet. Loneliness can be louder when everybody else looks joyful.

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See, that is why holidays can be difficult for people who are struggling. So when holidays come, check on people. Check on the cousin. Check on the cousin who has been quiet. I can get through this.

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Told y'all this is a heavy episode for me. Check on the cousin who has been quiet. Check on the friend who lost someone. Check on the person going through a divorce. Check on the veteran spending the holiday alone. Check on the coworker whose family is far away. Check on the strong one. Check on the funny one. Check on the spiritual one. Check on the successful one. Check on the one who says I don't need anything. Because sometimes I don't need anything means I don't know how to ask. So do not wait for the funeral to say what love should have said. And this is where we have to get honest. Because a lot of people get flowers after they die, who needed a phone call while they were living. And a lot of people get beautiful posts after they die who needed a message while they were struggling. A lot of people get you were loved after they are gone, but they needed to hear you are loved while they were here. Do not wait. Do not wait until the obituary says they matter. Do not wait until the memorial to say they were important. Do not wait until the funeral to cry over a person you never checked on. Send the text, make the call, apologize, ask the question. Sit with them, tell them I love you. Tell them I'm proud of you. Tell them you are not alone. Tell them I noticed you have not been yourself lately. Tell them I'm not judging you. Tell them let's get help together. Prevention often happens in ordinary moments. A hallway conversation, a late night text, a car ride, a lunch break, a check-in after church, a knock on the door, a come sit with me. And I'm staying on the phone. I care too much to ignore this. That is prevention. That is prevention. So I want you to sit with these questions as we reflect for a moment. Who in your life always smile, but you have not asked how they are really doing? Who used to be present but has slowly disappeared? Who has experienced a major loss recently? Who is being bullied, teased, embarrassed, or publicly humiliated? Who is carrying pressure that nobody sees? Who is the veteran, the officer, the first responder, the nurse, the teacher, the parent, student, or leader who keeps serving everybody else, but may be empty inside? Ask yourself, am I willing to be inconvenienced to help save a life? Because prevention is not always convenient. Sometimes it interrupts your schedule. Sometimes it requires patience. Sometimes it means staying on the phone when you're tired. Sometimes it means driving across town. Sometimes it means calling for help, even if the person gets mad. But I would rather have someone angry and alive than silent and gone. So if you can, I want you to know this and repeat this after me.

Chef Andre Rush And Daily Action

SPEAKER_01 47:55

I matter more than this moment. My pain is real, but it is not my identity. My struggle is heavy, but I do not have to carry it alone. I am not a burden. I am worthy of help. I am allowed to ask for support. I am allowed to live, to heal. My story is not over. I will take the next safe step. I will reach out and I will stay. So I want to close with this. And I want to say Heidi's name with honor. I want to remember my cousin with love. I want to remember Megan, Jamie, Madison, Amanda, Robin, Anthony, Kate, Steven, veterans, service members, classmates, co-workers, family members, and the names we may never know. But I also want to speak to the people who are still here. Because awareness is not just about remembering who we lost. Awareness is about reaching who we can still help. And if you are listening right now and you are in a dark place, this is your reminder, you matter more than this moment. Not because the moment is not painful. It is not because everything is easy. It is not. Not because you can just snap out of it. That is not how it works. You matter more than this moment because your life has value, even when your mind cannot feel it. You matter more than this moment because pain is not prophecy. You matter more than this moment because depression does not get the final word. You matter more than this moment because somebody needs you here, even if you cannot see it right now. And if you cannot believe that your life matters, and if you cannot believe for yourself, borrow my belief until yours comes back. Borrow the faith of somebody who is telling you, stay. Please stay. Call someone, text someone, tell someone. Call or text 988. Do not fight this alone. And to everybody else listening, check on your people. Check on the strong friend. Check on the funny friend. Check on the quiet friend. Check on the veteran, the student, the coworker, the family member who smiles through everything. Check on the person who always says, I'm good. Because one conversation can become a lifeline. One text can interrupt the tragedy. One act of love can remind somebody they are not alone. So remember, you matter. Your life matters. Your story is not over. You matter more than this moment. And if you're in a crisis or worried about someone else, call or text 988NO. Help is available 24-7, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, constantly. Someone is always available to hear for you. You matter more than this moment. So before we move forward, I want you to pause for just a moment. Take a breath. Wherever you are, whatever you're carrying, this next part is for you. Let's speak life over ourselves out loud if you can. Because what we say in this moment has the power to shift how we walk into the rest of our day. Let's begin with our affirmation. I am not defined by my past or limited by my mistake. I am growing, learning, and becoming who I was created to be. I have values beyond titles, roles, and expectations. I choose honesty over fear and growth over comfort. I am allowed to change, heal, and evolve. I walk with purpose, clarity, and courage. I am becoming more aligned with my true self every day. And who I am is enough. So as we close today's episode, I want to thank you for taking this time for yourself. If something you heard inspired you, challenged you, or made you pause and reflect, please don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with someone who may need this.

What To Say, What Not To Say

SPEAKER_01 53:40

Invite them into the conversation. See, this podcast grows when we grow together. I cannot do this without you. See, we grow together through shared stories, honest reflections, and real connections. Every listen, every share, every conversation helps create a community. A community rooted in purpose, rooted in love, rooted in hope, rooted in faith, rooted in trust and truth. So until next time, keep reflecting, keep becoming, and remember you matter. This is the Who Am I Podcast. And let's walk this journey together.