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Mental Health Is Health, New Hampshire Parents who have Lost children to Suicide Speak out to Raise Awareness

 

A group of New Hampshire parents who have lost a child to suicide is speaking out about mental health and their children in hopes to reduce the stigma and raise awareness of what to look for.  They hope no other parent experiences the pain they have suffered.  Parents of Alec White, Matt Baird, and Zach Demers spoke with wmur.com and shared their stories.

 

Survivors Left Behind

 

No one should have to bear the loss of a child.  Jeff White says of his son “Alec was a ball of energy, didn’t stop moving, 150 miles an hour.” Deb Baird, mother of Matt Baird says “I get so excited when I talk about Matt.  He had such a charismatic way about him that when he walked into the room, his smile just lit up light.”  Zach Demer’s mother says “Zach was a fantastic boy, young man.  If I called him a boy, he’d probably be insulted because he was about over 6 feet…”  the parents spoke with wmur.com to raise awareness and get parents talking to their kids, especially after the pandemic lockdowns.  Those lockdowns were a tremendous strain on everyone and we need to be able to talk about it.

 

Out of the Darkness

 

The America Foundation for Suicide Prevention Portsmouth Chapter is holding its annual Out of the Darkness walk in October at Pierce Island.  I wrote an article about it recently.  I lost a friend to suicide and it’s a personal issue to me.  I am passionate about mental health. If you are in crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach out via text by texting TALK to 741741. I want to thank the parents of Zach Demers, Matt Baird, and Alex White for bravely sharing their stories to help others.

Remember it's ok to not be ok.

 

 

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

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These Are 45 Pictures Of What New Englanders Say Makes Them Smile

 

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