Category: Uncategorized
-
Each year, I welcome September with a mix of relief and hope. After the weight of August, September feels like a reminder that the importance of suicide prevention is finally brought into focus more than at any other time of year. It wasn’t long ago that suicide was rarely spoken about, and even today, the…
-
I sat down yesterday fully prepared to write a blog about the heaviness this week, and honestly this entire month, brings me each year. I was ready to share how determined I was this time not to hate my birthday or let the loss of my mom the very next day consume me. Yet, once…
-
Fifteen years ago, my Papa passed away. He was my mom’s dad, and for as long as I can remember, I loved him with my whole heart, and his love for my was so pure. I loved visiting him (and my Mama) and always looked forward to those trips. I’d beg to go stay with…
-
This morning at 5 a.m., I began the drive from Gallup, New Mexico to catch a flight in Albuquerque. Honestly, I had no energy left for another trip. Just weeks away from our move from Texas to Maryland, I had already been on the road for work in Georgia, New York, and Michigan—not to mention…
-
Last night marked Keaton’s final official practice at Austin Ninjas. While he’ll likely attend open gym this Sunday for one more training session, yesterday was the true end of an era for our family. We knew that moving would bring many goodbyes, but I don’t think any of us anticipated how hard it would be…
-
Dear Mom, Tomorrow marks 27 years since I last celebrated Mother’s Day with you. Some days, it feels like a lifetime has passed; other days, it feels like you were just here. Tonight, I came home from Uncle Dave’s funeral. While talking to Keaton about family, I felt an overwhelming urge to share something about…
-
I’m flying home, feeling overwhelmed. Ten years ago today, I was halfway through my first Overnight Walk with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. It was my first experience being involved with the organization. My sister saw that the walk was happening in Dallas. I was intimidated by the $1,000 fundraising minimum, and she was…
-
Alfred Adler once said the problem isn’t religion itself—it’s what humanity has done to it. I can’t think of a quote that feels more relevant to what we’re witnessing in society today. I’ll be honest: I haven’t been to church in years. I was raised in the church, and I even went to seminary. I…
-
March 21, 2025, may seem like just another day to many. Until this past year, I hardly gave it a second thought. But over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of getting to know so many in the school safety community—individuals who have helped me learn and understand in ways I never expected. One…
-
I just returned from three days in what felt like a bubble. Not a bubble where work and deep conversations didn’t happen, but a bubble of hope and purpose amidst division, fear, and chaos. I spent the weekend with over 300 dedicated volunteers and staff, all committed to lowering the suicide rate. Thursday night marked…
-
Yesterday, I went with one of my best friends to a rage room. Her birthday was last week, and this is how she wanted to celebrate! I was all for it. I could only imagine how good it would feel to break things. As the day got closer, I started thinking about the objects—and, if…
-
Today would have marked my mom’s 71st birthday, but she will forever be 44, the age she was when she passed away. Grief is strange. Some years, a holiday, anniversary, or birthday can come and go with little impact, while other years, it hits you hard. Sometimes, even an ordinary day can catch you off…
-
I’ve never been one to overly sentimentalize my son’s growth. Instead, I’ve cherished how, with each passing year, I’ve gotten to know him better. As he’s grown, he’s increasingly shown his true self. I was thrilled when he began talking, and the day he started reading felt like pure magic. I was in awe when…
-
Every August since 1998, I’ve made an effort to embrace my birthday with excitement and joy. It’s a task I undertake with the hope that the celebration of my life might somehow overshadow the deep sadness of my mother’s death. I try each year to make peace with this duality, but every year, around August…
-
Since Keaton was 4 years old, he has dreamed of becoming a ninja, think of American Ninja Warrior. This goal has remained steadfast for more than half of his life, fueled initially by Matthew and me enjoying the show as a clean, positive program suitable for Keaton at a young age. Little did we know…
-
On Sunday, I’ll be boarding a flight bound for Lubbock, TX. While this might not seem like a big deal, for me, it holds profound significance. Lubbock and its neighboring small towns were the backdrop of my formative years. Sundown, TX, in particular, holds a signifiant place in my heart—it was where my family resided…
-
Fall of 2017 a group of student leaders in the district I worked would change the culture of the way in which adults viewed youth suicide and mental health. These student leaders would be the voice that changed my career, my life. The Student Advisory Board gathered that year with the superintendent to discuss the…
-
About a month ago, I presented at AFSP Chapter Leadership Conference on the role of balance and boundaries in self-care. I spoke from my heart. I was honest and vulnerable. I focused on how my mom loved every one so loud, she had nothing left to love herself. In probably the most vulnerable moment, I…
-
Love louder… two little words my sister and I picked years ago, yet I don’t think we fully understood their impact. We picked them as the name of our AFSP walk team for our first overnight walk in 2015. We wanted to show others that we have to love louder than the guilt, shame, and…
-
This last weekend was the Chapter Leadership Conference for AFSP… aka my favorite time of the year. I have been going for seven years and each year it feels more and more like the family I always needed… they get me… they love me… they lift me up. This year was different for me. I…
Amy Bigbee Grosso, PhD 