When Arthur Emery was back home on college break, he noticed something different about his brother Galen. He seemed withdrawn, distant, and uninterested in things he normally would be excited about.
Like any concerned brother might do, Arthur decided to look through his younger brother’s computer for clues as to what could be wrong. He searched through file after file, looking for the problem. That’s when he found Galen’s draft of a suicide note.
Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending. Arthur reached out to a mental health professional and got the advice he needed to approach his brother about the letter. Years later, both brothers lead successful lives and are using their story to raise awareness about suicide and mental health.
Listen to the amazing story below from the JED Storytellers series.
This brings us to today. After a very special MOD customer – Isaac – died by suicide last year, Arthur heard MOD was looking for a way to use our platform to make a difference. Through the connections he made while learning about mental health resources, Arthur brought MOD and The Jed Foundation (JED) together.
“As Dr. Victor Schwartz from JED has pointed out, food is the human connector,” Arthur tells us. “MOD sees so many human beings all the time. Every day, every month you’re in front of people. To shine a light on this issue and say as a company ‘This is something we’re committed to talking about’ is immensely valuable.”
Through the Isaac ‘Impact Pizza,’ our MOD Squad is empowered to talk openly and honestly about mental health, and they have resources at their fingertips to use themselves or pass on to friends and customers. This partnership has also raised over $50,000 for suicide prevention programs.
When asked for advice on how to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis, Arthur said it was important to know that you can make a difference by just listening and letting the person know you care about them.
“Your job is to make sure the person knows they belong, that they are cared for, that they would be missed if they were gone,” he said. “Our job is just to be humans and connect. Let them know there is help out there and connect them to resources.”
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If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: Text START to 741-741, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or visit jedfoundation.org/help to find more resources, learn about mental health and what to do if you’re worried about yourself or someone else.