Jill

I’ll never forget the day that he climbed the spiral staircase to my office. Each step was a strain and by the time he reached the top step and sat down beside me, his breathing was hard and heavy.

I asked, “How’s your back?” He answered, “Jill, I would live the rest of my life with daily back pain if I could only stop the demons in my head.” That was about 15 years ago and “he” was Thad Eure, III.

I was never able to fully comprehend how a person suffering with mental illness feels. I still don’t. But I know that those of us not suffering should be more empathetic and understanding and patient. We should realize that even if we can’t “see” how a friend may be afflicted, their demons are real.

All of us have family members who live with some type of mental illness. Mine does. We’ve seen the debilitating effects of suicides and how we never fully recover.

I’ve been honored to be a part of the Walk for Hope since the first planning meeting over 30 years ago. I keep coming back to help because I witness such huge strides and breakthroughs in research that the WFH can fund.

Our young 19-year-old friend, Patrick Anderson, committed suicide recently. A broken family wants us to always remember him by living our epic lives so full and so complete. We can show our love and we can remember him. We can band together and walk as a team on Sunday, October 13, 2019 in Patrick’s memory.

Be a part of remembering. Be a part of donating to research. Be a part of helping to erase the demons. Be a part of “Students Walk for Hope”. Sign up to walk with us, come to the festival or donate to a great cause.

Will You Join Us?

Walk for treatment. Walk for life. Walk for Hope.