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Mom's message: Talk to your kids about suicide

Miles Blumhardt , milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com Published 2:59 p.m. MT Nov. 6, 2016 | Updated 4:23 p.m. MT Nov. 6, 2016

Berthoudparentssaystartingaconversationcancreateopportunitiesforintervention

ShayBlackandHollisHunthaveaclearmessageforresidentsofBerthoudafterthehighschoolsufferedits
secondsuicideineightmonthslastweek:Talktoyourkidsabouthowtheyaretrulyfeeling.

Mondaywillbethefirstdaybackforthe720studentsatBerthoudHighSchoolsincesophomoreJoshua
Francis(/story/news/2016/11/04/berthoudhighschoolteenfounddeadidentified/93289106/),15,diedby
suicideintheschoolThursdaymorning.

"Parentsneedtoflatoutaskyourchildiftheyfeelanxiety,iftheyhaveeverfeltliketakingtheirlife,''saidBlack,
whosesonA.J.,aBHSjunior,diedbysuicideinAprilintheirJohnstownhome."I'mblownawaybythekids
whotellmetheyhavehadthisfeeling.That'swhyit'ssoimportanttospeakaboutit.''

(Photo:BerthoudSurveyor)
Hunt,communitypastoratGracePlacechurchinBerthoud,echoedBlack'smessage.LikeBlack,thefatherof
fiveknowsfirsthandthepainofsuicide.ButunlikeBlack,Hunt'ssonrevealedhisplantocommitsuicidetoa
BerthoudHighSchoolcounselorwhointervened.

"Don'tgetmewrong,adultshavingconversationaboutthisisgood,butwemustengageourkidsandaskthemwhattheyneedinsteadofhaving
conversationswithoutthem,''Huntsaid.

MORE:MentalhealthinLarimerCounty(/topic/675ff9d9bfec4ddeafb175a8a3d7e75e/mentalhealthinlarimercounty/)

ThompsonSchoolDistrict'spsychologicalresponseteamwasavailabletoBerthoudHighSchoolstudents,familiesandstaffFridayattheBerthoudArea
CommunityCenter.

OnSunday,thedistrictopenedtheschool'sdoorsfrom23p.m.,hopingtogivestudentsanopportunity"tobecomereconnectedwiththebuilding
community"beforetheirfirstdayback.

Huntsaiditiseasytobecomefrustratedandconfusedduringtimeslikethisandthatconfusiontendstodrivepeopleintoisolation.HesaidBerthoud
needstoturntoconversationandcommunitytoworkthroughthegrievingprocess.

"Thelie(withsuicide)isyouarealonebutyouarenotaloneandweneedtomakesureourchildrenarehearingthat,''Huntsaid."Justlikewearegoing
totellRobin(Joshua'smother,whoattendsGracePlace)whenwevisither.Wearegoingtotellherwewillnotleaveyoubehindwewillbewithyouthis
weekandthenextweekandthenextweekandinsixmonthswhenshewillbecryingandhurtonJoshua'sbirthday.Thatisthemessageforeveryone.''

MENTALHEALTH:Increaseinsuicidecallstakestollon911dispatchers(/story/news/2016/06/21/suicidecallincreasestressesfortcollins
dispatchers/85843652/)

ShayBlackhadonelastmessageforparents:Don'tthinkitcan'thappentoyou.

"WewereyoureverydayAmericanfamily,nothingfancy,justnormalpeopleoutthereliving,coachingourkidsinsports...andthenithappenedtous,''
saidShay,whohasbecomeactiveinpostvention,helpingfamiliescopefollowingasuicide."IwishIhadknowntohavethementalhealthtalkwithmy
children.Iknownow.Unfortunately,wewillnotstop100percentofthesuicides,butbyhavingfranktalkswithourchildrenwewillreducethem.''

FuneralarrangementsforJoshuaFrancishadnotbeenannouncedasofSundayafternoon.
Inadditiontothetwosuicides,inJune,18yearoldBerthoudHighSchoolgraduateAshleyDoolittlewasmurdered(/story/news/2016/09/01/accused
Join The Coloradoan for as low as $0.56/wk.
berthoudteenkillerappearscourt/89715688/).Doolittle'sexboyfriend,TannerFlores,whoalsoattendedtheschool,toldpoliceheshothertwiceat
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CarterLakebecausehewasangrywithherandthendrovetotheWesternSlopetownofCollbran.
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Flores'nextcourtappearanceisNov.17forareviewhearing.HeremainsincustodywithoutbondattheLarimerCountyJail.
EXCHANGE&UTM_CAMPAIGN=NANOBAR)

Therehavebeen57suicidedeathsinLarimerCountyin2016asofOct.12.Therewere80confirmedsuicidesinLarimerCountylastyear,includingfour
peopleundertheageof18.

Get help
Ifyouorsomeoneyouknowisstrugglingwithmentalhealthissues,calltheSuicideHotline,800273TALK(8255).Ifyouneedimmediateassistancein
LarimerCounty,callSummitStoneHealthPartners,9704944200.A24/7mentalhealthcrisiscenterisalsoopeninFortCollinsat1217RiversideAve.

Ifyouhavelostsomeonetosuicide,learnmoreaboutsupportgroupsandresourcesavailabletoyoubyvisitingallianceforsuicideprevention.org
(http://allianceforsuicideprevention.org).

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