Tyler Hilinski was a very talented and charismatic quarterback that played for the Washington State Cougars. In January 2018 Tyler unfortunately took his life. This event brought total shock to everyone in his life, including parents, siblings, teammates and coaches. Tyler’s parents now go around the country and talk about student athlete mental health. They talked in the auditorium and over 500 students attended. I know everyone was impacted by this topic and by Mr. and Mrs. Hilinski story. I want to share how it impacted me.

Being in the room with so many of my peers impacted me differently today because I have struggled with mental health. I’m reminded how easily you can mask your feelings while listening to Tyler’s story. I thought about this a lot because I’m always giving my 110% just to be okay, even when I’m not. The only thing I related to the most was the fear of being a burden because this is a challenge for me. I understand how detrimental struggling in silence could be if not spoken about. It made me feel understood and not that you’re a bad person for struggling but just human with a lot going on that people don’t see.

The presentation also allowed me to think about how we all deal with so much from school, sports, and others. You have to be tough sometimes even if you are mentally exhausted. The person that I talked to after the presentation said that they felt as if they were not alone and I felt this way also. I know that people are dealing with mental health, but do not say anything. This message helped me understand that you are not weak if you need help. I also thought about how someone would have to help me if I was having a bad day. This presentation ultimately changed my mindset towards mental health and school.

Hearing Tyler’s parents talk made me more conscious of what I say or do to people. I know that I don’t know what people are going through. Asking others what they are going through is probably more important than I realize. I also had some reflections about how I respond to people when they tell me they are “stressed” or “overwhelmed.” I didn’t understand how silence is not always healthy, as in Tyler’s story. This talk gave me the power to be loving and supportive, and speak up when things don’t seem right. If you want to learn more about Tyler’s story, click here.