After some prior delays, speakers on suicide prevention came to Wayne State College on Tuesday, March 15.

 
The two speakers were Kevin Hines and Sally Spencer Thomas, who both gave their personal stories of loss due to suicide.

 
Hines spoke first, touching on his own attempted suicide at 19.

 
“Not everyone gets the gift of a second chance, and I won’t squander it,” Hines said. “No matter the pain I’m in today or that I have chronic suicidal thoughts, bipolar disorder, type one with psychotic features, (meaning hallucinations auditory and visual, paranoid delusions, grandiose delusions and mania) panic attacks, anxiety issues and severe depression, I work through them every day because I am in treatment every day of the week.”

 
Among the thousands of people who have jumped off of the Golden Gate Bridge, Hines is one of only four individuals that not only survived, but regained his mobility.

 
Immediately after jumping, Hines regretted his decision, and he ended up being kept afloat by a sea lion until the coast guards were able to arrive and save him.

 
During Hines’ suicide attempt, he missed severing his spinal cord by mere centimeters, but he uses this second chance to work as an activist and speaker on suicide prevention.

 
The second presenter was Thomas, who spoke on her brother committing suicide and gave information about suicide prevention.

 
“I don’t share this to get pity. I share this story because most families don’t, and when we don’t share our story about the devastating impact of suicide, it remains a mystery, it remains invisible,” Thomas said.

 
Thomas mentioned how it is important to speak up about suicide prevention, because most people don’t always know about the devastating effect suicide can have. Speaking up can make not only cultural changes but policy shifts as well.

 
Over half of all college students have reported at least one episode of suicidal thinking.

 
There are about 24,000 suicide attempts per year and 1,100 deaths, meaning about 3 deaths every day.

 
After the presentation, the counseling center made themselves available for anyone that needed to use their services.

 
Anyone dealing with suicidal thoughts can contact the counseling center at the Student Center room 103 or (402) 375-7321. Tables were also set up providing the number for the national suicide hotline 1-800-273-8255.