Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is having thoughts of #suicide, the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255.
The #parents of Katie Meyer, the Stanford goalkeeper who died by #suicide Tuesday, are speaking out about her death, hoping to help other #parents avoid the same situation.
Steve and Gina Meyer went on “The Today Show” on Friday and spoke candidly about their daughter’s death and how they’re coping with such an unimaginable tragedy.
“She died by #suicide,” Gina Meyer told “The Today Show” during the interview. “The last couple days are like a parent’s worst nightmare and you don’t wake up from it. So it’s just horrific.
“I don’t even think it’s hit us yet. We’re still in shock. But we had no red flags.”
The Meyers, who described themselves as a close-knit family, spoke to Katie often, but have no firm answers about why their #daughter decided to take her own life. In their last conversation with Katie, a FaceTime call just hours before her death, Steve said she was “the usual jovial Katie.”
“She was excited,” Gina said about the FaceTime call. “She had a lot on her plate. She had a lot going on. But she was happy. She was in great spirits.”
#JamesDonaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Meyer family wants more #parent-#school communication
Steve said they have one lead about why Katie took her own life: a disciplinary letter from the #school.
“Katie, being Katie, was defending a teammate on campus over an incident and the repercussions of her defending that teammate [were possibly resulting in disciplinary action],” Steven Meyer said on TODAY.
“We have not seen that email yet,” Gina said. “She had been getting letters for a couple months. This letter was kind of the final letter that there was going to be a trial or some kind of something. This is the only thing that we can come up with that triggered something.”
It is not publicly known what the incident was or how Katie was involved, but the Meyers didn’t find out about it until after Katie’s death. That’s one of the reasons they’re speaking out. They want to encourage more communication between #parents and university administrators — something that can be difficult because college #students who are 18 or older are legal #adults.
They had no idea their #daughter, who was 22, was distressed about anything, and believe that if they’d been made aware, they could have had a chance to intervene and possibly prevent this from happening.
“We’re just struggling right now,” Gina said. “We are struggling to know what happened, and why it happened. We’re just heartbroken, so heartbroken.”
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
