In his TED Talk, “Be Human(e),” Dr. Jeremy Richman said, “We felt the world was spinning out of control and that if we didn't find something to hold on to, some reason to go on, that we'd get spun right off into this great darkness.” Jeremy delivered this message as both a neuroscientist and a grieving father. He lost his 6 yr old daughter, Avielle, in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. This was one of his last public appearances before he died by suicide on March 29th, 2019. Today, we look at “the great darkness” with fellow Newtown residents Ian Hockley and Lee Shull and explore advocacy as a trauma response plus the toll it can take. We’re also joined by the other half of our Jed advisory team, Janis Whitlock, who provides wisdom and insight on creating a life worth living.

Season 2 of Last Day is created in partnership with The Jed Foundation. The Jed Foundation (JED) empowers teens and young adults with the skills and support to grow into healthy, thriving adults. You can find tips, tools and resources for taking care of your emotional health available at: www.jedcares.org/lastday

Resources from the episode:

• Watch Jeremy’s TED Talk here.
• Learn more about brain health from The Avielle Foundation.
• Keep up with Dylan’s Wings of Change.
• Read stories from the community at Sodina Project.
• To learn more about recommendations for reporting on suicide, visit https://reportingonsuicide.org/.

If you or someone you know is struggling emotionally or feeling hopeless, it’s important to talk to someone about it now. Contact one of the resources below for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor anytime. 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text line: Text “Connect” to 741-741

The Trevor Project: 1-866-488-7386

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