Meet some of the people who want you to know that you matter, you’re important, and you are loved. Spread the Lifeline members fanned out on Washington Avenue Bridge at the end of February to raise awareness around suicide prevention and to give students literal signs of support. Read more about the group here.

Mitchell LeMay
UMN Sophomore – Political Science and Sociology of Law

In his senior year of high school, LeMay lost a good friend to suicide. LeMay said it was an “unnecessary loss,” and that he would “hate to see it ever again.”

LeMay said that if the group’s efforts can “convince one person that their struggles are with it, then we have already made a difference.” He also said, “Some people don’t realize they’re struggling until the helping hand is outreached in front of them.”

Ryan Delmonico
Cofounder of Spread the Lifeline. Cofounder of Push for Awareness. Studied music production in college.

Delmonico also knew the high school classmate who died because of suicide, and helped found both Spread the Lifeline and Push for Awareness. He said one goal for the event was to “brighten people’s day, on a smaller scale.”

“On a larger scale,” Delmonico said he wanted the people who are struggling to know “there are people out there who want them to be okay and it’s okay to ask for help. Even if we’re not going through the same thing, we want them to be aware that we’re here to help.”

Katie Lagen
UMN senior – Environmental Sciences, Policy, and Management

Katie Lagen, who has known people who committed suicide, said it’s important that people process their emotions and that their friends support them. Instead of having a friendship that “just fills your time,” Lagen said people will “bond better, and be more real” with friends if they talk about feelings.

Lagen also said it should not be a required social norm “for everyone to perceive that you’re happy.” In fact, “You don’t have to be happy,” Lagen said. “You don’t even have to know what you are, or put a name to it.”

Sabrina Ratsamy
UMN Junior – Biochemistry

Sabrina Ratsamy, who knew friends who cut themselves or who started doing drugs, said “No one shoulder ever get to that point.” Ratsamy said people with depression think they “can’t talk to anyone,” which makes them feel “less loved because it feels like no wants to talk” to them. This further isolates them, Ratsamy said. Instead, people should feel free to reach out, Ratsamy said.

“The more people who talk, the more other people are willing to listen,” Ratsamy said.