hi, my name is Chloe, and i'm hosting a charity tournament on 3/2 in support of JED Foundation, which aims to protect teen and young adult's mental health + prevent suicide.

i'm here to share my story on why i chose this organization.

when i was 19, my brother took his own life, at the very young age of 17. to this day, I remember the horrific blood curdling call from my mom telling me that my little brother had shot himself.

i ran out of my apartment door in shock but full of adrenaline without even locking it, and drove straight to my parents' house. my mom and i had a grueling 1.5 hour drive in the pouring rain to get to the hospital where he was.

halfway to the hospital, we received a call that he was unable to be saved and would stay on life support until we arrived.

since my mom was driving and deeply distressed, it was up to me, a 19 year old kid, to call my family members one by one and explain to them what happened.

one death that seems so minuscule as a number was actually a massive punch to the gut for dozens of people, including me. our family fell apart for years, i fell apart, and since that day i've heavily struggled with suicide myself.

life and my relationships with my family have never been the same, and unfortunately, that's a reality of suicide. what it does to the people around you is unfathomable.

but so is the personal struggle as a teen with these thoughts.

we can't eradicate suicide entirely, but we can make a difference. the resources and knowledge on mental health alone can save other families and loved ones from living out a life like this. i'm honored to have a platform to share this and organize my small part in making a difference.