Losing a loved one is a heartbreaking, tragic experience. It’s particularly difficult when it happens abruptly. It changes your world and affects who you are. It leaves you with more questions than answers.
20 years ago, the Truehope family lost someone who was dear to us. Debbie was wife to Anthony Stephan, our founder. She struggled for years with the effects bipolar had on her mind and her heart.
Then one day, she was gone.
She had reached a point where she thought there was only one way to take away her pain. The day she ended her life changed ours forever.
We were torn by her death. We had so many questions for which the answers didn’t come. One thing we did know was that her death mirrored that of her father, who also struggled with mental illness. We also knew that some of her children had bipolar, and we hoped that somehow we could find some way to provide the support and strength they needed and that had unfortunately eluded Debbie.
Debbie’s death inspired an impassioned search that led to a promising solution. That solution has since helped over 100,000 people find hope, health, and happiness they thought had been gone forever, giving them new lives.
Not a day goes by that we at Truehope don’t miss our Debbie. We take some solace in the fact that her death has led to tens of thousands of lives.
So, family and friends of Robin Williams, please know that he inspired many people through their smiles, their tears, and their laughter. Now he will inspire them through their memories. We hope that the legacy your dear Robin has left behind will bring you the solace you need as you grieve and seek comfort.
From our family to yours,
Truehope
The above image was taken by Charles Haynes. Used under the CC BY-SA 2.0 license.