Suicide Prevention for Children: Can It Be Done?

Background

Our 18-year old son, Jay, died by suicide in February, 2016. His death was a shock to our family and to our community. In the days, weeks, and months that followed, we were absolutely overwhelmed by the love and support we received from our community. So many people reached out to care for us in our grief, which was incredibly comforting. 

Mr. Craig

Many months after Jay died, we were contacted by Mr. Craig, Jay's P.E. Teacher from elementary school. He asked if we would meet him at a local restaurant. He had something on his mind that he wanted to discuss with us. We gladly said yes.

Mr. Craig and Jay's sister, Lindsay, circa 2012.

During the meeting, Mr. Craig expressed his heartfelt condolences. It was clear to us that he was genuinely affected by Jay's passing. He recounted his cherished memories of Jay and his sisters, whom he also taught. However, it soon became clear that his purpose for calling the meeting wasn't merely to reminisce. He had something significant on his mind and got straight to the point.

Search for Solutions

Mr. Craig told us that Jay wasn’t the first of his former students to die by suicide. He expressed concern that, if nothing changed, Jay would not be his last, either. That realization obviously upset him.

“There’s got to be something I can do in my role as a Health and PE teacher that could help prevent suicide,” Mr. Craig insisted.

We sat with that thought for a moment. He quickly continued.

“We could add something to the health portion of the curriculum,” he suggested. “Something for mental fitness in addition to physical fitness.”

At the time, I was intrigued by the suggestion and I appreciated his passion so much. But I was also still deeply grieving. As a result, the creative educator in me was offline. I could not come up with any suggestions. 

And, to be honest, I had immediate doubts. How could you talk to elementary students about suicide? How do you introduce that sensitive topic in a developmentally appropriate way? I really couldn’t imagine the answers. 

We parted ways that evening with a promise to think about his idea and keep our lines of communication open. 

We met a couple more times with Mr. Craig over the years, but little developed. His question, however, always stuck with me. 

Lingering Question

I knew in my heart Mr. Craig was right. There must be something that can be done in elementary schools to equip kids with skills to fortify their overall fitness. I would occasionally sit down at my computer and search for answers. Yet, I always came up empty-handed.

In those moments, I would step away frustrated. But Mr. Craig’s question always stayed with me like an open tab in the back of my mind.

Tragedy Strikes

In late September of 2020, Tim and I were met with achingly sad news. Mr. Craig had died by suicide. Our community, and every other community he had touched, rose up to remember Daniel Craig for the amazing husband, son, father, brother, teacher, coach, teammate, and friend he was. Mr. Craig touched countless lives as a professional and a volunteer in multiple communities. You can read my reflections on Mr. Craig here.

Answers Emerge, Part II: Coming Tomorrow

Please check back tomorrow for Part II of this blog post, in which I reveal answers I have finally found to Mr. Craig’s questions and an exciting Jay Walkers announcement that is Mr. Craig-inspired and most certainly would be Mr. Craig-approved!

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Click HERE for Part II of this story!