>>>
>>> AFTER
>>> AFTER HER FAMILY WAS TOUCHED BY SUICIDE, CHERYL
DUNCAN WANTED TO MAKE SURE
OTHER FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO
SPOT WARNING SIGNS ON SOCIAL
MEDIA.
MEDIA.
MEDIA. EARLIER THIS WEEK WE SAT DOWN
WITH CHERYL.
WITH CHERYL. >> CHERYL, IF SOMEONE WAS
LOOKING AT YOUR DAUGHTER FROM
THE OUTSIDE, THEY WOULD THINK
SHE WAS A HAPPY, BEAUTIFUL AND
TALENTED YOUNG GIRL.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> DID YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT
WAS GOING ON INSIDE?
>> I HAD SOME IDEA.
SHE CHANGED THE WAY SHE CARRIED
HERSELF.
HERSELF.
HERSELF. SHE SLEPT IN THE DARK.
SHE WASN'T HAPPY.
HER BROTHER WAS GOING OFF TO
COLLEGE.
COLLEGE.
COLLEGE. THAT WAS IN TENTH GRADE.
SHE SEEMED TO BECOME MORE
DEPRESSED.
DEPRESSED. >> YOU KNEW SOMETHING WAS
DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT. DID YOU HAVE ANY CLUE IT WOULD
END THE WAY IT DID AND HER
DYING THROUGH SUICIDE?
>> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME SHE WOULD
NOT HURT HERSELF.
SHE ATTEMPTED TWICE WITH PILLS
BUT SHE WOULD NOT HURT HERSELF.
>> YOU HAVE A SISTER WHO DIED
BECAUSE OF SUICIDE.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> STILL, WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAD
OFF WHAT HAPPENED.
SO MANY PEOPLE FEEL GUILTY WHEN
YOU HAVE A LOVED ONE WHO DIES
FROMSUICIDE.
FROMSUICIDE. IT IS HARD TO PREDICT.
EVEN IF THE PERSON IS
UNDERNEATH YOUR ROOF, THAT THAT
WILL HAPPEN.
WILL HAPPEN. >> YOU WANT TO PREVENT IT.
IT WAS 1995 WHEN MY SISTER
DIED.
DIED.
DIED. FROM 2012 I NEVER DISCUSSED IT.
I WAS SO ANGRY.
I REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW
BEING SO BEAUTIFUL AND
EVERYTHING THAT WE HAD GONE
THROUGH THAT SHE COULD DIE AND
ACTUALLY TAKE HER LIFE.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS ONE OF
THE TOP LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
I THINK IT IS HARD FOR A LOT OF
US TO WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND
THAT YOUNG PEOPLE DEAL WITH
TRUE DEPRESSION.
TRUE DEPRESSION. THAT'S WHAT SHE WAS DEALING
WITH.
WITH.
WITH. IT
WITH. IT CAN RUN IN FAMILIES.
THE YOU CREATED THE ASHLEY
FOUNDATION BECAUSE IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WAS YOUR CALLING
TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE'S CHILD.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. THE LORD SAID NO MORE SILENCE.
YOU MUST TALK.
PEOPLE SAID YOU COULD OFFER
HELP TO OTHERS.
I SAID HOW CAN I HELP OTHERS
WHEN MY DAUGHTER AND SISTER
DIED?
DIED?
DIED? THROUGH THE LORD, AND WITH THE
SHIRT THAT I WEAR, IT WAS A
TIME TO GET OUT AND SPEAK AND
HELP OTHERS AND INCREASE
AWARENESS.
AWARENESS. >> HAVE YOU NOTICED A
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHEN YOUR
SISTER PASSED AWAY AND YOUR
DAUGHTER AND THE WORK YOU DO
TODAY?
TODAY?
TODAY? >>
TODAY? >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. MUCH DIFFERENT FROM 1995 TO
2012, VERY MUCH QUIET, NOT
TALK.
TALK.
TALK. WE
TALK. WE DIDN'T TALK IN THE FAMILY.
MY DAUGHTER DIED SIX YEARS AGO.
I CAN SEE MUCH MORE RELIEF AS
FAR AS DIFFERENT SEMINARS AND
CONFERENCES.
CONFERENCES. PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO TALK MORE.
I'M ABLE TO BE MORE OPEN.
SHE HAD TATTOOS.
THERE WAS AN EXPRESSION OF ART
FOR HER.
FOR HER.
FOR HER. NOW I LOOK AT PEOPLE WITH
TATTOOS AND I THINK WHY DID YOU
DO THAT?
DO THAT?
DO THAT? THERE MUST BE A REASON WHY.
YOU CONNECT AND MEET THEM WHERE
THEY ARE AT.
>> ANOTHER THING YOU WANT
PARENTS AND LOVED ONES TO DO IS
BE AWARE.
BE AWARE.
BE AWARE. BE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN IN THEIR
SPACE.
SPACE.
SPACE. SHE WAS POSTING THINGS ON
SOCIAL MEDIA.
SOCIAL MEDIA. YOU WEREN'T ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
WHAT WERE THINGS SHE WAS
POSTING THAT YOU FOUND OUT
LATER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A
WARNING SIGN?
WARNING SIGN? >> ON HER TWITTER SHE POSTED
SHE WANTED A GUN.
SHE WOULD SAY SHE WAS HAPPY.
THEN SHE WROTE ABOUT LIFE IS
NOT WORTH THE PAIN.
AND GOD SEEMS TO BE TORTURING
HER.
HER.
HER. THERE WAS A LOT WRITTEN THE DAY
SHE DIED THAT SHE FINALLY GOT A
GUN.
GUN.
GUN. YOU
GUN. YOU MUST BE CONNECTED WITH THEM
ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL
HELPLESS WHEN SOMEONE IS
DEALING WITH DEPRESSION.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE CAN BE GOOD AT
HIDING IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T
WANT TO BURDEN OTHERS.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE FEEL HELPLESS.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO A
PARENT WHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING
WITH A LOVED ONE?
YOU ARE NOT WITH THEM 24/7 BUT
YOU WANT TO HELP THEM.
WHAT DO YOU SAY TO HELP THEM
LIVE A BALANCED LIFE AND SAY IT
IS WORTH LIVING.
>> PARENTS NEED TO BE CONNECT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH OTHER
FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
TALK MORE AND TEXT LESS.
HOLD ON TO HOPE.
FIND SOMEONE THAT IS AS TRUST
WORTHY.
WORTHY.
WORTHY. I
WORTHY. I HAVE HAD OTHER PEOPLE WHERE
THEIR PEOPLE AND FRIENDS TALKED
TO THEM.
TO THEM.
TO THEM. BUILD AN ALLIANCE.
>> THERE IS MEDICAL HELP OUT
THERE.
THERE.
THERE. YOU HAVE YOUR WALK COMING UP.
WHAT DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL
WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE?
IT IS A SITUATION THAT IS SAD
BUT THE THING THAT IS
COMFORTING IS YOU HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND AND YOU
ARE WORKING TOWARD A GREAT
GOAL.
GOAL.
GOAL. >>
GOAL. >> WE ARE RAISING AWARENESS TO
PREVENT SUICIDE PREVENTION WITH
HOPE AND HEALING.
IT IS A CELEBRATION OF THAT
PERSON'S LIFE.
PERSON'S LIFE. YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT THAT
PERSON -- JUST BECAUSE THEY
DIED THE WAY THEY DID, THEY ARE
STILL HUMAN.
STILL HUMAN. COME OUT AND GET HELP.
GET HELP WITH MEDICAL, YOUR
CHURCH, OR FRIENDS OR FAMILY.
BUT COME OUT AND CELEBRATE.
AND BE AWARE THIS IS REALLY THE
SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
AMONG YOUNG PHONES.
>> THE ANNUAL 5K WALK AND
HEALTH FAIR IS SEPTEMBER 22nd
9:00 A.M.
9:00 A.M.
9:00 A.M. TO NOON AT McGREGOR PARK.
>>> COMING UP, FIND OUT HOW ONE
ORGANIZATION KEEPS THE MUSIC
ALIVE IN THE NATION'S PUBLIC
SCHOOLS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP.
>>> UP NEXT, CRISTINA KOOKER
GETS AGGRESSIVE AT THE RATCHET
HATCHET.
HATCHET.
HATCHET. >> Reporter: UP NEXT, I GOING
TO PRACTICE BECOMING A
PROFESSIONAL AX