Editor’s Note: Interested in free weekly updates from Northern Michigan? Sign up for the WEEKLY PINE VIEW
By Donna Thoma- donnathoma0@gmail.com
A family in grief following the suicide of their son, chooses to honor his memory by telling his story.
The Hessbrook family, having been told to “not talk about their son, Brady,” because of his suicide, realized THAT was the problem. No one wanted to talk about suicide, as that may be viewed as a stigma towards surviving family members. Some in the community felt that others might blame and shame the family.
Terry serves as coach and athletic director at Ithica, mom Kristy, has taught Kindergarten for thirty-three years, and Brady and his sister, Kelsey, were both active in school activities and the community.
“Braden, (Brady) Hessbrook, age 20, of Ithaca, MI, passed away Friday, January 27, 2023.” His obit tells of his talents and dedication to football and basketball; his hobbies, including fishing with his cousins, grandad, and dad but, “who” was Brady Hessbrook?
His dad, Terry, tells listeners, Brady was a happy, outgoing child; “manager” of his dad’s football team at Ithica High School until he was a freshman. Brady then began his own high school football career, becoming the star quarterback, and more. Those attributes, no matter how wonderful, were not “who” Brady was.
We sometimes lose sight of who a person is by focusing on their actual or perceived attributes. When injuries, illness, or other life disruptions take place, sometimes it causes an individual to view themselves differently. Anxiety, depression, may befall them, as it did Brady. For Brady, it began with a torn ACL, then shoulder separations, due to football injuries.
Following high school graduation, Brady was accepted and received a scholarship to play football at Wayne State University however, shoulder injury again sidelined him for his sophomore year.
The illness that took his life, however, was invisible. An illness just as real as cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, and one that is treatable.
Instead of hiding, and not talking about Brady and his life, the Hessbrook family has chosen to begin the B#4 Foundation, in Brady’s memory.
Terry Hessbrook travels the state, doing speaking engagements at schools and other venues, in hopes of educating about mental health awareness and suicide prevention.
The message of the B4 Foundation for anyone struggling with suicidal ideation: “It’s okay to not be okay, and no one should be ashamed of mental health struggles. Before you give up hope, before you hurt yourself and those who love you, before you make a mistake you can’t undo, reach out and ask for help.”
Terry Hessbrook spoke to students and staff at Ogemaw High School and Charlton Heston Academy, January 21, and Houghton Lake High School and Roscommon High School, January 22.
The events at area high schools were organized through the Roscommon County Sheriff’s Victim Service Unit.
If you feel you are “not ok”, or are in crisis, call or text 988 for help. If you know someone in crisis, tell someone. Nearly 50,000 individuals took their lives by suicide in 2023, over 6,500 were aged 10-24: with older adults, 85 and over, among the highest number.
For more information, contact the B#4 Foundation at 989-444-5819 or email info@theb4foundation.org.
