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How we speak to someone can determine whether they respond with hope or despair. Words carry weight, and sometimes, they are the only thing holding someone together.

The recent deaths of Kyren Lacy and Marshawn Kneeland, both just 24 years old, have shaken so many of us.

Kyren Lacy, a former LSU wide receiver, died in April 2025 from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound during a police pursuit in Houston. He had been facing charges related to a fatal car accident months earlier.

Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, died by apparent suicide on November 6, 2025, only three days after scoring his first career NFL touchdown.

Both of these young men had dreams, families, teammates, and fans who loved them. Their stories are heartbreaking reminders that no one is immune to pain, no matter how strong or successful they appear.

The hidden crisis

We often assume that people who seem to “have it all” are okay. We look at their smiles, their achievements, their confidence, and believe they’re fine. But behind closed doors, many are fighting invisible battles. They feel the weight of expectations, guilt, shame, or regret, and often believe that no one would understand.

I know that feeling. I’ve stood in that place where the silence is deafening and it feels like no one can hear your cries for help. Many of us have. And that’s why we need to talk about it. Not just when tragedy strikes, but every day.

A single conversation can shift someone’s world. A word of kindness can give them the strength to hold on for one more day. The smallest act of compassion can plant hope where hopelessness once lived.

A growing mental health pandemic

We’ve faced a global health crisis in recent years, but the mental health crisis quietly grows in its shadow. It’s time we call it what it is: a pandemic of pain that too often goes unseen and untreated.

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among people ages 10 to 24 in the United States. More than 49,000 Americans died by suicide in 2022, the highest number ever recorded. Every 11 minutes, another person takes their own life.

Behind each number is a story, a face, a family. It’s Kyren. It’s Marshawn. It’s someone’s child, friend, or mentor. And it’s happening all around us every single day.

Why does it take tragedy to wake us up?

When a celebrity or athlete dies by suicide, we pause. We talk. We post quotes and send prayers. But then, the world moves on. Meanwhile, thousands of others are struggling in silence, unnoticed and unheard.

It shouldn’t take losing two 24-year-olds to remind us that mental health matters. Their deaths should move us to action, to check in, to listen, to care a little deeper, to stop assuming that strength always looks like a smile.

What we can do

Listen with intention. When someone says they’re “fine,” ask again, and let them know you truly care.

Speak life into others. Say things like “You’re not alone,” “I care about you,” or “I’m here when you’re ready to talk.” Those words matter more than you can imagine.

End the stigma. Mental health struggles aren’t weakness or failure. They are part of being human, and they deserve compassion and care.

Check on your strong friends. Sometimes, the ones who always show up for everyone else are the ones who need someone to show up for them.

Know the number. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Help is always available, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

A call to awareness

Mental health is real. The pain is real. The silence is real. But so is hope.

We can change the conversation. We can create a world where people no longer have to hide their pain behind a smile, where asking for help is seen as courage, not weakness, and where compassion becomes our first language.

If you’re struggling, please remember this: you are not alone, and your story is not over. There is still light ahead, even if you can’t see it yet.

Let’s not wait for another headline to wake us up. Let’s start listening, speaking kindness, and showing up for one another today because sometimes, that’s all it takes to save a life.