A woman’s journey
from a loss that knocked her down to a sisterhood that picked her up.
On December 12th,
2009, my life changed forever. I was a junior in high school and I was taking
my ACT test for the first time. I was pulled out of my test and sent home;
that’s when I found out my daddy had committed suicide. I felt like my world
was tumbling down and for a moment, it stopped. It’s been nearly three years
since I was taken out of that ACT test to the worst news of my life. I miss my
dad every day.
He suffered from bipolar disorder, meaning a lot of highs
and a lot of lows and it eventually lead to my parent’s divorce. While this
disorder took my father from me, it also showed me the depths of a mother’s
love and strength.
My mom was my primary caregiver and after my father’s death.
Things got harder for her too. She tried
her best and kept our family together. It was not easy but she managed and she
is the strongest person I know. She
takes care of me and my two younger brothers; she goes above and beyond to help
us and make sure that we have a chance at whatever we want in life. We all miss
my dad, but she tries to help in any way she can and that is more than I could
ask from her.
I was devastated when I lost my dad. It hurt for a long
time, but I eventually found ways to cope. I taught myself about suicide
prevention and the warning signs. I
learn new things about suicide prevention and awareness every day. I ordered a
pin that I wear on special days like his birthday, death day, suicide awareness
week and survivors of suicide day. Having this knowledge and telling people
about it helps me honor my dad. I love to
tell happy stories about my dad, like the time he took me to see Rob Thomas in
concert or took me on a ride in the Memphis trolley for the first time. These
memories help me smile and keep me going.
This experience has made me a much stronger
person. It made me realize that I can go through anything and not give up. I
wanted to make my daddy proud and I feel like I can say that I have. Even
though I suffered a tremendous loss, on November 18th, 2012, I
gained an entire sisterhood with Delta Gamma. These women are one-of–a-kind and
are always here to help me when I get sad about missing my dad. In fact, one
sister, Kaley, understood more than anyone. Her father had passed away too and
she understood what I was feeling. It was indescribable to finally find someone
who could relate to my struggle.
Tressie Cochran,
Delta Zeta- Memphis, is a sophomore. She
is majoring in Human Services and plans to work in the social work field. You
can contact Tressie at Tressiecochran@yahoo.com.
According to the
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
“More than 36,000 people in the United States die by suicide
every year. It is this country's 10th leading cause of death, and is often
characterized as a response to a single event or set of circumstances. However,
unlike these popular conceptions, suicide is a much more involved phenomenon. “
According to the National Institute of Mental Health
Bi-Polar Disorder is defined as, “Bipolar disorder, also known as
manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in
mood, energy, activity levels, and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks.”
For information on
bipolar disorder and suicide prevention click here:
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