September is suicide awareness month. I don’t know many people who haven’t been touched in some way by this tragedy.
I recently attended a concert by talented acoustic punk folk musician and songwriter Dave Hause to benefit the American Association of Suicidology’s “Make an Impact.”
After Dave’s performance, AAS awarded Kendall Toole, spokesperson for Peloton, for using her platform to bring awareness to this critical issue and to encourage anyone contemplating suicide to get help. Kendall gave a short but inspiring and uplifting talk that I felt needed amplifying, which I’m sharing here via Raw Travel’s Instagram page in the video link.
While I didn’t have the opportunity to meet Dave, I was rewarded by conversing briefly with Kendall, and we discussed how travel can help people come out of severe depression.
Kendall is doing much good with her platform with the “Never Knocked Out” initiative. I salute her and the AAS for truly “making an impact.”
Most in the travel community know the struggle leading to Anthony Bourdain’s untimely end. Last November, we lost Alex Blue Morales of the band Normandie Blue, which was signed to Punk Outlaw Records and has several music tracks featured in Raw Travel. I made a donation to AAS in Alex’s name.
However, many of these struggles happen quietly, behind the scenes, and in isolation.
Everyone suffers, but some feel the suffering more than most, and sometimes it can feel overwhelming. However, as Kendall eloquently spoke, these feelings are a temporary mirage. It is NOT reality. Every problem has a solution, and everything can be overcome.
If you or someone you know is suffering, please know there is help, and it is just a phone call away by dialing 988. Please help us spread the word about 988 as this initiative is fairly new. Borrowing and paraphrasing Kendall’s father, we all get knocked down, but we don’t have to let it knock us out.
