Sister speaking out about brother’s death to raise awareness about mental heath
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Monday was the final day of Suicide Prevention Month, a time meant to raise awareness of how many lives are lost to suicide, and to highlight the ways we can help others.
We spoke with one sister using her loss to help shed light on the importance of mental health.
Melissa Nelson lost her brother James to suicide a little more than a year ago.
Despite the time that has passed, Nelson says she still struggles to come to terms with that reality on some days.
“I mean I was at the funeral. I wrote the eulogy,” she explains. “I went through the whole process, but there are just some days where you just forget.”
Melissa remembers being at work when she got the call from her mom.
“At that point you’re just in shock. You’re not expecting to get that news,” she said. “I’m on the phone with my mom like he just overslept, he’s just not answering, that’s James.”
That’s when Nelson says her mother broke the news about the call from the coroner.
All she has of her little brother now is letters in his handwriting, pictures capturing his goofy smile and the memories shared by those closest to him.
“He was just that kind of person that would do whatever he needed to do for the people around him,” Nelson said while flipping through pictures of her younger brother.
The family celebrated James’ 30th birthday in his absence a few weeks ago with a cake lit with numbered candles.
Nelson’s gift to her brother is his story, that she is sharing so that no other sister has to go through the loss she’s felt the last year.
“In the back of my mind, it more came down to what if my brother had read this sort of story from a sister, what if that had impacted him?” she said.
“Suicide is completely preventable. It takes more attention to mental health. It takes paying more attention to those around there and really, really being there for those people around you.”
Melissa says there were no noticeable red flags leading up to her brother’s death.
It’s made her realize the importance of checking in and holding those you love close.
“Even if it’s just a second so someone knows that you’re available to them, that can make the whole difference,” she said.
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